The University of Panama (UDELAS) will once again open enrollment for the Higher Technician and Bachelor's degrees in Surgical Instrumentation, according to reports from the president of the Association of Surgical Instrumentation Technicians, Magister Carmen Vega. Last week, representatives of the Association and staff from the UDELAS Faculty of Medical Sciences met with their respective legal teams to reactivate the career, which operated from 2005 to 2017 but was closed due to an agreement between Nurses and health authorities. This decision halted the development and advancement of students and administrative staff for these positions that require qualified personnel, Vega indicates. The UDELAS delegation was led by Dean Graciela Ambulo, who shows interest in supporting both programs, although they acknowledge that more support and budget are needed. The reopening of the program comes amid an intense battle that the Association has been waging for years for the recognition and regulation of both specialties: Higher Technicians and Bachelor's degree holders, which provide the necessary qualification. Vega states that this does not affect any professional group, but rather offers opportunities for professional advancement. Currently, the Surgical Guild is making efforts to get project 255 approved in the National Assembly's Commission on Labor and Health. The project is in its first debate but was sent to a subcommittee after intense debates and opportunities were given to Health Guilds that oppose it, including Nurses, the regulation of these Technicians and Bachelor's degree holders. Vega maintains that whenever the project has been presented (about 10 years), it has been viable due to citizen participation, but it has not had the proper support. Now they have the backing of Deputy Jamis Acosta, who embraced the proposal from the start and was joined by Deputies Roberto Zuñiga and Víctor Castillo. For Vega, the fact that UDELAS is planning to open the program within the new 2026 academic year is an important step, especially as it is being done through broad consensus and is related to the medical and technological advancements of recent years that require highly trained personnel to ensure adequate and safe patient care in operating rooms.
