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The BAMS training in Haiti evolves and integrates the Bachelor of Medical Biology from the State University of Haiti
The Bachelor of Applied Medical Sciences (BAMS) is a professional training program for senior laboratory technicians launched in 2011 in Haiti to strengthen the country's medical biology capacities. The degree course is now integrated into the State University of Haiti as the fourth year of the Bachelor of Medical Biology degree.
As a result of the collaboration between the Ministry of Public Health and Population – via the National Public Health Laboratory of Haiti – the Mérieux Foundation and the Graduate School of Biology – Biochemistry – Biotechnology (ESTBB) of the Catholic University of Lyon (France), the eight-month training has enabled 126 laboratory technicians to obtain the BAMS diploma since its inception.
As part of a partnership between the State University of Haiti and the BAMS partners, it was decided to integrate the training program into the SUH Bachelor of Medical Biology as a fourth-year course. An agreement was signed with the Mérieux Foundation by Dr. Cadet, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine and of the School of Medical Biology, to formalize the evolution of the training.
This evolution will reinforce the skills of laboratory technicians following the bachelor’s degree with a fourth year of study and the BAMS diplomas of the seven classes will now be recognized by the State as a Bachelor’s degree of Medical Biology of Haiti.
This new fourth year of bachelor’s degree will be provided by experts in medical biology. The courses will cover biomedical analysis techniques including cell and molecular biology, immunology, parasitology, bacteriology, immunology, haemobiology, virology, epidemiology and bio-statistics. Good laboratory practices such as quality assurance, biosafety, bioethics and waste and equipment management will also be taught. The lectures will take place at the State University of Haiti, while the practical work will continue at the National Public Health Laboratory.
This decision is in line with the Mérieux Foundation’s vision: to provide support that aims at project autonomy and local ownership. BAMS Haiti is now owned by Haitian stakeholders and can be continued over time. It follows on from BAMS Mali, created in 2007 and officially transformed into a Master’s degree of Medical Biology at the University of Science, Technology and Techniques of Bamako in 2018.