The lack of specialized personnel in hospitals is once again sounding the alarm. The guild of surgical technicians in Panama has asked the Specialized University of the Americas (UDELAS) to reopen the career of surgical technician this same year, both at the technical and bachelor's degree levels. This career was closed in 2017. The request was made during a meeting with Graciela Ambulo, dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at UDELAS, where the guild made it clear that the need is urgent and that medical advances demand better-prepared professionals in the operating rooms. Carmen Vega, president of the guild, warned that hospitals increasingly require trained personnel, as technology and new medical procedures demand specialized studies to guarantee the safety and proper care of patients. Vega recalled that the career already existed at UDELAS at the higher technical level and explained that they now seek to also include the bachelor's degree, as both trainings are complementary and key within the health system. Currently, those who wish to study surgical instrumentation can only do so at the Higher Institute of Science and Technology, a center that for 23 years has trained technicians in various areas of health.
