The medical school will open its doors in 2024 as a contribution to the comprehensive health of the southern macrozone

After three years of work on an academic project, the Faculty of Medicine of the Catholic University of Temuco (UCT) will open its doors in 2024 for the special benefit of the community in southern Chile.

The academic project is one of the most important undertaken by UCT, a 64-year-old institution with almost 13,000 students.

In 2024, the campus offers 46 undergraduate courses, a bachelor’s degree in science and humanities, and general civil engineering (a program leading to civil engineering: geological, environmental, industrial and civil engineering).

In the specific case of medicine, the focus was on training doctors specialized in family, community and intercultural health, that is, in accordance with the needs and requirements of this part of the territory.

It should be noted that to this day medicine is taught in the south of the country (an area with extensive rural areas) only in the cities of Temuco, Valdivia, Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas.

“Training doctors is very complex and requires serious investment from the university. We are implementing this new offer in the field of medicine with a very solid project,” said university rector Aliro Borques.

The academic authority noted that UCT has a teaching profile marked by its character as a Catholic, humanist and Christian university, an imprint that will be present in the rigorous and focused training of the 60 students it will receive from March, as the “humanization” of healthcare also “humanizes the training of doctors “

Work with management company

The medical project had the direct input and advice of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, thanks to the participation of its academic authorities, for which the institutions signed a Cooperation Agreement last August.

“UCT has demonstrated an increase in the quality and relevance of its various courses. This is a great university, we have a lot of common goals, and when we learned about this development in medicine, we became available. We have a career that will soon celebrate its centenary history, as well as an extensive healthcare network, a strong undergraduate and graduate program and many international contacts, so we are ready to work together,” explained UC President Dr. Ignacio Sanchez.

The spirit and teamwork were appreciated by Rector Borques, who highlighted the challenges of collaborating with the prestigious University of California Center for Medical Education and Health Sciences, in technical advice on the implementation of this academic project and in the development of a formative identity. seal of future professionals.

“We strive to ensure that they are not only good professionals, but also good people. This is an aspect of great concern and it is very clearly and clearly defined in the professional profile of this new doctor who will create the Catholic University of Temuco,” Borques emphasized. .

Attachments

The new academic offer is accompanied by major investments in infrastructure being developed in the university area of ​​Temuco. This exceeds $14 million and will ensure the highest standards of quality in its implementation. This investment includes the construction of a state-of-the-art clinical simulation hospital available to all Faculty of Health Sciences courses, which will promote innovation, technology and disciplinary solidity in their teaching. The building will have a clinical laboratory, simulation and clinical skills rooms, and on-site learning spaces for student development.

In addition, construction began on a modern academic building called the Teaching Pavilion, erected in close proximity to the San Francisco campus. The building will be constructed entirely of laminated wood, reflecting a commitment to sustainability and innovation, Borquez said.

“We have made the decision to move forward, becoming an increasingly resilient and resilient university. We want to achieve zero carbon emissions, and the Education Pavilion, built entirely from wood, is a sign in this sense. This will be a contribution and an example for Temuco and southern Chile. This is the commitment we make against climate change,” explained Rector Borques.

TEK-UCT
At the same time, UCT has already opened the TEC-UCT Institute of Technology, which aims to train university technicians with a strong ethical base, who respect and appreciate the diversity of the environment and will be able to make a significant contribution to development. territories and societies.
TEC-UCT will teach five technical university courses: Early Childhood Education and Foundation Level 1; Electricity and energy efficiency; Management and administration of companies; Calculation; and sustainable agricultural production.
All alternatives are free and have the same benefits as any UCT student, rector Borques Ramirez confirmed.