Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences signs MoU with Harvard Medical School

Kochi: In a first for an Indian hospital, the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi has signed an MOU with the Harvard Medical School to exchange and promote best practices and research in Critical Care, Pain medicine and Anesthesiology.

The areas of cooperation under the MOU include identifying opportunities for joint research, an active exchange program for faculty and students from both the institutions, organizing joint events, workshops and training programs to support the advancement of medicine, and development of specialized advanced fellowships for faculty.

A three-member team from Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) visited the Amrita Hospital to sign the MOU, including Dr. Daniel S. Talmor, Chief, Dept. of Anesthesia, Pain Medicine & Critical Care at BIDMC; Dr. Peter J. Panzica, Vice Chief, Dept. of Anaesthesia at BIDMC; and Dr. Satya Krishna Ramachandran, Associate Professor of Anaesthesiology at BIDMC.

The first joint research project between Amrita and Harvard will focus on sepsis.

While signing the MOU, Dr. Prem Nair, Medical Director, Amrita Hospital, said: “We are very excited about the potential of exchanging best practices and faculty as well as conducting collaborative research with the Harvard Medical School. This high-profile collaboration between the two institutions will benefit medical education and research in India, and bring immense benefits in the areas of clinical care, basic science, public health, and multidisciplinary research.”

Added Dr. Daniel S Talmor from Harvard Medical School: “I am amazed to see the wonderful work, both in Medicine and Medical Research, being done at Amrita Hospital. It is evident that the doctors here are very good and absolutely committed to Amma’s vision of using medical science as a tool of social welfare.”

The physicians from Harvard addressed the faculty, staff, and students of Amrita School of Medicine, sharing key insights about issues such as Operating Room efficiency, the framework required for success in Medical Research, and Post-Operative Monitoring. The interactions yielded an opportunity to collaborate in research, advanced training, and joint CME programs. The first project for joint research between Amrita and Harvard will focus on sepsis.

The Harvard team proposed to start five-day certificate courses for PG students of Amrita School of Medicine in ICU Management, Quality Assurance, and Acute Medicine. It also offered to throw open Harvard facilities to Amrita Hospital for simulation training in bronchoscopy, ultra sound, and pain management.

The Harvard Medical School was ranked the #1 medical school in the world in 2017 by Times Higher Education (THC).