Oceania University of Medicine

[osurra1]

Hi all,

I am wonderinig if anyone knows about the Oceania University of Medicine located in Samoa? They just received accreditation last year, but seem to be having some major management/staff issues at the school.

Here is a news article from the lcoal paper in Samoa: Samoa Observer. Makes me a bit nervous

http://www.samoaobserver.ws/index.php?view=article&id=32146%3Amass-sacking&option=com_content&Itemid=62


Thanks

Omit

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[SalMcy1]

Hello Omit,

I have read the link you posted, as well as researched other articles about the University, written by their local paper "Samoa Observer".
Obvioulsy I have no way to validate what was writen, but having said that, I did find several articles that make me think the University is having some serious financial problems, as well as some governance issues as well. One article (forgive me about not having the links avaialble, as I'll try to get them for another session) mentioned "Mass sacking" at the University where many staff where let go shortly after getting accreditation. Another article mentioned how one of their deans ("Dr. Benji") and the founder/owner (Mrs. Taffy Gould) apparently lied about the Auckland Medical School colaborating with them on these changes. The dean of the Auckland Medical School ( Dean Martiin) wrote in the local paper that neither he nor his Auckland Medical School were invloved in any way with the chnages,and that he was upset about being associated with what was taking place at OUM.
Just from the above I would recommend that you, and others, wait at least a year before considering this school, as they seem to be dealing with some very serious issues (financial and ethical).

I hope my comments help

Sally

 

[smilelady]

I am not planning to apply to the Oceania University of Medicine, but I had a girlfriend that did do 5-6 weeks of clinical rotations at the Samoa hospital (she is a medical student in the UK, but did an elective there, which she enjoyed) in Samoa during the time of these major changes, that folks have referred to, were taking place.

She said that she was there in March and April 2011 when the founder/funder Taffy Gould sent a PDF signed letter terminating the contracts of ALL staff on the campus, with the plan to hire back some of the Samoan staff.
I recall that my friend also said that many of the local staff said this lady Taffy Gould did all these changes via email, and not in person (a bit troubling). But, I think more important in some ways, was that she said many of the Samoan staff felt Ms. Gould used them to help the school get their accreditation and then sacked them. They also felt it might have been racially motivated, but had no way to know.

My girlfriend, during this time, would come to the school several times a week to check emails, etc, but often found that the internet was down, as well as the phones not working, due to non payment of debts

She could not make sense of what was occurring there at OUM Samoa. But, on a positive note, she spoke very highly of the Samoan people and how nice their country was and would recommend that medical students try and do their elective at the Samoa hospital. But, she also said she would NOT recommend going to OUM due to what appears to be serious financial and management issues.

Catlady

 

[DrBushvine]

This actually is quite a surprise to me. Now why would that be you may ask. The reason is, I am from the South Pacific, I grew up in a South Pacific country and have lived there my whole life, my country has strong political ties with Samoa, and yet now, only now, in the year 2011 did I find out that there was a medical school in Samoa! I only know about the ones in Fiji and PNG, which have been operating for a good number of decades already. But for a recently established one to have been the first internationally accreditted medical school in the South Pacific, and beating the medical schools both in Fiji and PNG in so doing is just beyond me.

Why didn't I hear about this University before? Honestly, this is the first I've heard about this university. But its good to know that we in the South Pacific are moving forward in terms of quality medical education. I might even apply for admission into the program, that is after things settle there and there is total guarantee that the program won't be disrupted by administrative issues.

Go Oceania! Take a step forward and make your mark in the big league with the Internationally Accreditted program there!