HISTORY
HISTORY OF SMS
(The School of Medical Sciences (SMS), in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana)
The idea of a Medical School in Kumasi arose as early as the sixties by the first President of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, when Dr. R.P. Baffour was Vice-Chancellor of the then (UST) University of Science and Technology (1961-1967), but now Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
At that time plans were drawn up for a new University Hospital that was intended to be the nucleus of a Teaching Hospital. The new hospital was never built but the idea of a Medical School at the KNUST lingered on, especially in the Faculties of Science and Pharmacy, which discussed the desirability of establishing a course in Human Biology, graduates of which could either train clinically to become physicians or become medical research scientists or medical laboratory technologists.
As its name indicates, the original idea was to train students in the various Medical Sciences i.e.; Physiology, Biochemistry, & others.
The nature of the medical school in Kumasi was to be such that Physicians, Medical Scientists and Medical Laboratory Technologists could be trained there. A three-year BSc. (Human Biology) Course was to be the basic qualification for further training in the three categories mentioned above (ie, physicians, medical research scientists or medical laboratory technologists), and teaching was to be problem-based and community-oriented. In October 1975 the course in Human Biology began with the first batch of 21 students.
From 1971 to 1972, after consultations with various institutions, prominent among which were the University of Salford and the Commonwealth Foundation. The ideas of the sixties were revived in the light of the fact that the UST already had the basic resources in the Faculties of Science and Pharmacy respectively.
Political unrest disrupted activities at the Universities of Ghana so much so that this first batch of students could only obtain their BSc (Human Biology) as late as 1979. The new Military rulers saw the need for more Doctors, especially for the rural areas and they dropped the original idea of SMS and they really turned it into a MEDICAL SCHOOL to produce more doctors.
These students, who had satisfied the basic requirements for entry into any of the three streams, opted for medical practice after their first degree. However, since the Komfo Anokye Hospital was at that time not yet “ready” for the teaching of clinical medicine, the students were sent to the University of Ghana Medical School in Accra, where they finally qualified for the MB, ChB in June 1982. In 1980, clinical teaching started at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, which had then obtained its recognition from the Medical and Dental Council of Ghana as a teaching hospital. So far, the School has trained about 600 medical doctors obtaining MB, ChB Degrees between 1982 and 1996. It is gratifying to note that most of the Kumasi-trained doctors are still in Ghana, serving faithfully in various ie. Especially in the RURAL, parts of the country. The nature of the medical school in Kumasi was to be such that Physicians, Medical Scientists and Medical Laboratory Technologists could be trained there.
In order to achieve the aims of the school, a wide range of subjects are studied within the four year period and these are co-ordinated so that teaching is developed around themes or body systems. Students are introduced to clinical problems as well as a wide range of laboratory work. The level of training is such as would be comparable with international standards.
Within the period students are also orientated to the concept of the Community by involving them in Community Health activities. The relationship between Community Health and other medical disciplines is highlighted. Students also undergo a course in Nursing Techniques.
The ultimate aim of post BSc Human Biology training is to provide competent clinical and laboratory manpower for our health sector.