After passing a series of filters that evaluate resume, academic performance, professional skills and knowledge, the medical student at the University of Antioquia (U. de A.), José Roberto Uribe Delgado, won the Ascofame 2022 Best Intern Award.
After screening more than 800 contestants, the process left just 60 finalists, 10 for each of the regions of the medical schools attached to the Association: Center, North, Coffee Region, South, East and Antioquia.
The winner (first place) receives a economic stimulus of $6,000,000 and an equal sum in educational products from the CTO company. For their part, the students who won the first places in each of the regions (see To learn more) receive $3,000,000 each and another $6,000,000 in products.
The story of Jose Roberto
He is 25 years old and is in the last semester of medicine. His interest in this field of study, he says, began when he was a curious child interested in discovering how science might have a positive influence on society.
The first time he applied to the University of Antioquia he did not get enough points to pass, so he decided to study French and apply once more. The third time she succeeded. “A year following finishing high school I managed to enter medicine at the University of Antioquia and It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”express. When he graduates he will officially become the first doctor in the family.
In the coming months you will have to choose what to specialize in. He once leaned toward plastic surgery, however, she says, he might veer toward Anesthesiology.
At the moment is in the United States finishing a two-month rotation in general surgery and pain medicine, since in 2020 he won the MinCiencias Scholarship-Internship in Research: Young Talent in Health.
Between July and September he will be at Jackson Memorial Hospital doing different rotations such as plastic surgery and surgical intensive care, through the William J. Harrington program. “For it I am looking for how to finance my trip, because the costs of lodging and food are very high”.
Regarding the recognition, the dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the U. de A., Carlos Alberto Palacio Acosta, stated: “It is a source of pride that the best intern in the country and the best in the region are our students, a fact that highlights –once once more– the quality and leadership of this house of studies, a benchmark in the country and the world in the training of human talent in health”.
New simulation platform
In previous versions of the award, part of the evaluations took place in a simulated hospital (in person), but this time it was done through the new simulation platform: IHuman Patients, with software and clinical cases previously adjusted by the evaluators. In this way, the contestants carried out all the activities without having to travel to Bogotá.
“For the design of the instruments, experts in medical education from various disciplines and institutions of the sector were summoned; We even have international peers, experts in Medical Education from Mexico and the United States. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it is that we must move from the evaluation of learning to an evaluation for learning”says Angelo Laverde, director of Evaluation and Educational Technologies in Health.
More than highlighting the best medical students in the country, the award allows medical schools know the real panorama of medical education in the country, optimize efforts and continue with the improvement of education.
“This time we wanted to have a regional vision of the event. We understand that Colombia is a country of regions and with this award we want to explore the opportunities for improvement that we have and the possibility of to transfer skills and experiences between the faculties”concludes Luis Carlos Ortiz, Executive Director of Ascofame.
