Medical and Dental Council inducts 746 physician assistants

Ghana's Medical and Dental Council (MDC) has officially inducted the second cohort of newly qualified physician assistants, granting them provisional registration to commence their mandatory pre-registration internships. The ceremony, held last Friday in Accra, saw 746 graduates welcomed into the profession, bringing the total number of physician assistants admitted by the council to 864 over a two-day event.

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Uphold competence, compassion, integrity and professionalism, stressing that public confidence in the profession would depend on their conduct and commitment to ethical practice.

This induction is a statutory requirement under Ghana's Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013 (Act 857), which governs the practice of doctors, dentists, and physician assistants. The newly inducted professionals successfully passed the council's licensure examination after training at accredited institutions across the country. Their provisional registration allows them to begin supervised clinical practice, with permanent registration contingent upon fulfilling all requirements during their internship.

Registrar of the MDC, Dr. Divine N. Banyubala, urged the inductees to uphold competence, compassion, integrity, and professionalism. He emphasized that public trust in the profession hinges on their conduct and commitment to ethical practice, noting that the provisional registration is facility-specific and subject to ongoing council assessment.

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Physician assistants formed an important part of Ghana’s health workforce, with about 8,000 practitioners serving in various capacities across the country.

Representing the Minister of Health, Dr. Hafiz Adam Taher, Director of Technical Coordinating at the Ministry, highlighted the significant role physician assistants play in Ghana's health system, with approximately 8,000 practitioners serving nationwide. He stressed the importance of attitude and conduct alongside clinical skills. The Ministry of Health is collaborating with the MDC and other stakeholders to enhance regulation, improve care quality, and foster professional development. Discussions are underway to potentially restructure physician assistant training, possibly shifting from a post-secondary direct entry to a post-basic model to improve clinical exposure and preparedness.

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Discussions were ongoing to reposition the physician assistant training programme, including a proposal to shift from direct entry at the post-secondary level to a post-basic model aimed at enhancing clinical exposure and improving preparedness.