The program's accreditation, recognizing 53 certified specialists since its inception, celebrates the daily dedication of residents and teachers to training geriatric physicians committed to quality healthcare.
Receiving the news with pride, Dr. Adriana López Ravest, program director and director of graduate and postgraduate studies at FACIMED, remarked, "This result is the fruit of the work of a committed team of faculty and residents. We're delighted with this significant recognition, which validates years of daily effort to deliver a quality program, consistently focused on continuous improvement."
Alejandro Guajardo, the faculty dean, proudly stated, "We are very happy as a faculty because we continue to make significant progress with the accreditation process for medical specialties. This month alone, we've been notified of the accreditation of Neurology for four years and Geriatrics for five years. This achievement only serves to endorse the exceptional quality and seriousness with which medical specialists are being trained for Chile's public health system, along with the unwavering rigor and commitment of the team leading this process."
This accreditation confirms the Faculty's commitment to academic excellence, the comprehensive training of health professionals, and its contribution to the country's development through programs that meet the highest national and international standards.
A process that strengthens training
Between Tuesday, April 22, and Wednesday, April 23, the Usach Geriatric Specialist Training Program received a visit from the CNA Peer Review Committee as part of its initial accreditation process. The visit was coordinated with the Quality Assurance Department, headed by Marcelo Noel.
The Committee was chaired by Dr. Natasha Valeria Kunakov Pérez and Dr. José Luis Dinamarca Montecinos, with the collaboration of the technical secretary and Minister of Faith, Rodrigo Díaz Espinosa, representing the CNA.
Over two days, the evaluators met with university authorities, Faculty representatives, the Program Steering Committee, residents, academics, and graduates. They also toured the associated clinical fields.
The first field visit was to the Dr. Luis Valentín Ferrada El Carmen Hospital, the program's training center, where they were welcomed by Dr. Adriana López Ravest, program director, and Dr. Pamela Valenzuela, clinical field coordinator, along with faculty and residents.
The team then visited the Dr. Sótero del Río Hospital, where they were given a guided tour by the clinical field coordinator, Dr. Humberto Montecinos, and Dr. Tamara Gallardo, head of the Geriatrics Unit. Dr. Eduardo Gallegos and Dr. Adriana López Ravest, members of the program's management team, also participated.
The visit concluded with the reading of the Final Departure Report before representatives of the academic community, marking a key milestone in this external evaluation process.
Our Growing Commitment
Accreditation confirms a program's adherence to quality standards, its commitment to continuous improvement, and its effectiveness in preparing graduates with the skills required for high-quality healthcare.
With this important step, Geriatrics joins the six specialties already accredited:
✔ Dermatology and Venereology
✔ Imaging
✔ Neurosurgery
✔ Anesthesiology
✔ Family Medicine
✔ Urology
The Faculty thus reaffirms its commitment to continue training professionals of excellence to contribute to the strengthening of public health in Chile.