The inauguration ceremony of the Advanced Training School for onboard Doctors took place this morning at the Arenzano (Genoa) headquarters of the Italian Merchant Marine Academy Foundation. The project, initially supported by Assarmatori, the Ministry of Health and the Merchant Marine Academy itself, immediately found support partners in the University of Genoa, the Order of Malta, the International Center for Medical Radiology (CIRM) and the Maritime Health, Air and Border Office (USMAF). The establishment of the Advanced Training School for onboard Doctors was achieved thanks to the contribution of the shipping companies Moby, Tirrenia, Toremar, GNV and Caronte &Tourist Isole Minori.

The aim of the course is to provide the necessary advanced information for the management of critically ill patients in situations of scarce or medium resources and in remote environments such as a ship. At the end, the participants – whose access requirement is a Degree in Medicine and Surgery with priority for doctors specialized in Anaesthesia and Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine – will receive the necessary certifications to carry out their profession at national and international level.

“The inauguration of the School of Advanced Training for onboard Doctors is an extremely important moment not only for us – argues the President of Assarmatori Stefano Messina – but also for Italian shipping as a whole. In fact, the issues that the shipping companies operating passenger services have encountered in recruiting these figures are well-known. Difficulties due exclusively to the lack of qualified doctors willing to embark without a navigation booklet. This perfectly figures out the inefficiency of the current regulatory system that can no longer guarantee the effective organization of the service and consequently fulfil the purposes for which it was established at the end of the Nineteenth century. For this, a generational change was necessary. And with this in mind, we have designed and implemented the kick-off of the Advanced Training School for onboard Doctors.

“Today’s ceremony marks an important moment for the armament and for the Italian flag”, states Eugenio Massolo, President of the Italian Merchant Marine Academy Foundation. “In addition to what President Messina has already wisely stated, the launch of this Higher Education School is also a picture of what can be done via strategic partnerships in terms of excellent training.”.

“I am happy that this important training project starts today – adds Susy De Martini, Scientific Coordinator of the School of Advanced Training for Doctors on Board – We will train excellent on-board doctors who will be able to take care of the several millions of passengers who use sea transport every year in Italy and members of the crew which require the best possible assistance”.

“This course was born with the very ambitious idea to find the best possible training for scenarios that could occur in the open sea, in a context far from the mainland or from a hospital aid point – concludes Angelo Gratarola, Health Councilor of the Liguria Region – It is also nice that the course is named in memory of Teresa Cavallero, a young Genoese anesthetist who died prematurely”.