US Embassy Medical Secretary Vacancy

Vacancy Announcement
U.S. Embassy
Algiers, Algeria
Vacancy Announcement# 51-2009
OPEN TO: All Interested Candidates
POSITION: Medical Secretary, FSN-7*; FP-7**
OPENING DATE: December 8, 2009
CLOSING DATE: Open Until FilledWORK HOURS: Full-time; 40 hours/week
COMPENSATION: DZD 719,899* (Grade 7) *This represents the total annual compensation including salary, bonus and benefits.**Not-Ordinarily Resident (NOR); Salary to be confirmed by Washington.
NOTE: NON-ALGERIAN RESIDENT APPLICANTS MUST BE RESIDING IN COUNTRY AND HAVE THE REQUIRED WORK AND/OR RESIDENCY PERMITS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION

The U.S. Embassy in Algeria is seeking an individual for the position of Medical Secretary in the Health Unit.

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION The Medical Secretary performs receptionist/administrative duties in support of the Embassy Health Unit staff. Works under the direct supervision of the Post Medical Officer. Performs Health Unit (HU) receptionist duties: answers phone, connects calls from the Health Unit Medical Officer to appropriate health professionals, directs calls from outside health professionals to the appropriate office in the mission, arranges appointments, and answers inquiries regarding the Health Unit’s services. Takes inventory of HU equipment and supplies, and reviews with the staff of the HU. Serves as receiving staff for the HU for supplies, puts away those supplies that are not “controlled” items and orders office supplies. Translates medical reports and documents in relation with Health Unit, from French to English and English to French languages. Please contact the HR Office if you wish to review a copy of the complete position description listing all duties and responsibilities of the position.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.
1. Required Education: Two years of university is required. Nursing or Medical education is desirable
2. Prior Work Experience: Two years of office secretarial experience is required. Knowledge of medical secretary field is desirable
3. Language Proficiency: Level 4 English and French, level 3 Arabic are required
4. Other criteria: Excellent English grammar and spelling. Familiarity with medical terminology. Knowledge of general office procedures and computers is essential.
5. Other Skills and Abilities: Good interpersonal and communication skills; ability to interface with many people, both in person and on the phone. Must be organized, be tactful and understand patient confidentiality. Must be able to translate French medical documents to English.

ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA 1. Management will consider nepotism/conflict of interest and budgetary restrictions in determining successful candidacy.2. Current employees serving a probationary period are NOT eligible to apply.3. EFMs who currently hold an FMA appointment are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of that appointment.

SELECTION PROCESS Eligible Family Members and U.S. Veterans will be given preference when considered equally qualified for Embassy Vacancy Announcements. Therefore it is essential that the candidates address the required qualifications as specified in the application.

TO APPLY Interested applicants for this position must submit (1) and (2) below: 1. Preliminary Documentation* Current Resume. A current resume or curriculum vitae that provide the same information as an OF-612.* Letter of Interest. You must attach to the letter:o References: Be ready to provide contact information (i.e. name, address, phone number, email address) for three (3) current and/or previous supervisors.o Indication as to whether you are currently employed with the embassy; and whether you have a relative currently working within the Mission. If so, provide their contact information (i.e. name, address, phone number, email address).2. Proof of education.* Copies of relevant diplomas or degrees (as required) by the position.* Any other documentation that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above. Applicants should make sure to send copies of their documents and not originals as we cannot ensure return of originals.Interested applicants may choose to submit the below application form with the package detailed in (1) and (2). Alternatively they can wait to do so until required in the hiring process. Unsuccessful applicants will not receive an invitation to attend the interview. 3. Employment Application Form.* All prospective employees must complete an Embassy application form (usually the Federal Employment OF-612, available at the HR Office). * Can be submitted if selected for an interview.

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN ENGLISH AND THE DOCUMENTS REQUESTED ABOVE MUST BE SUBMITTED OR THE APPLICATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

CLOSING DATE FOR THIS POSITION: Open Until Filled The US Mission in Algeria provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation. The Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.

Point Of Contact: Submit Application to: Human Resources OfficeAttention: Medical Secretary, Vacancy Announcement #51-2009Point of Contact: Human Resources Office
For quickest reception fax to: 021-60-73-35
Post to: BP 408 16000 Alger GareE-mail to: usembassyalgiers_app@state.gov Note: Only the best qualified applicants will be contacted for a test and an interview
Drafted: NBentouraCleared:AKabouhi/ SOulmane/ CBrown
Approved: JMiller

First Winter Multi Disciplinary University in Algiers

The DGRSDT Jointly with ACA and CERIST announce the opening of registration for the winter university to be held at CERIST facilities in Algiers in December 19-29. The courses will be taught by Algerian experts working in renowned international institutions and companies. The goal of the program is to promote the excellence in knowledge transfer and exchange between skilled Algerians living abroad and their peers in Algeria.

Designed for Ph.D. graduates, academics, administrators, researchers, laboratory managers, research directors and corporate trainers who wish to learn strategies and techniques in management and leadership. It also targets health professionals, pharmaceutical and life science professionals and researchers to learn about the latest developments in Biomedical imaging systems, preclinical drug discovery and development and novel medical treatment. It also offers comprehensive training to all researchers at all levels and disciplines in health and safety. Participation is based on a selection criteria and the process as detailed in the registration form.

Certificates Guidelines
In the ten days of the winter university, participants will be taught 25 specialized courses structured under three certificates:
* Project Management and Leadership Certificate
* Heath and Safety certificate
* Biomedical Imaging Certificate
* Preclinical Drug Discovery and Development Certificate
Participants will be able to complete one or more certificates by taking the core courses and at least three elective courses have details in each certificate program. For effective teaching, classes contain no more then 20 students per class for the elective courses.

The Winter University is designed to meet the need and interest of a larger number of applicants. The courses will also be shown by CERIST using video conferencing facilities. Other Universities and those who are not selected to attend physically can follow courses online at any of the designated Universities.

Steps for Enrolling and Earn Your Certificate
1. Choose your certificate within one of our areas of teaching
2. Review your Certificate race Matrix and schedule of offerings
3. Register for your certificate program online by visiting and fill in the Questioner
4. Wait for confirmation if you selected for attending the course at CERIST or online at one of the designated universities.
5. Complete all core and elective courses chosen.

We invite those who want to participate to complete the registration online at DG-RSDT : www.nasr-dz.org , DG-RSDT: www.nasr-dz.org, winter_university@nasr-dz.org
Tel: +213 (0)21 63 6840 , Tel: +213 (0) 21 63 6840

ACA: www.aca-dz.org , ACA: www.aca-dz.org, ledesk@aca-dz.org
Tel: +44(0)7999597167 , Tel: +44 (0) 7999597167

Scottish Medical Pioneers

Edinburgh is very proud of its great tradition of medical pioneers so I thought I’d just outline one or two here to highlight the importance of Scotland in Medical History.
Photos from left to right, top to bottom: Littlejohn, Fleming, Wilmut, Simpson and Lister.

Sir James Young Simpson (7 June 1811 – 6 May 1870) was a Scottish doctor and an important figure in the history of medicine. Simpson discovered the anaesthetic properties of chloroform whilst trying out his latest chemical experiment on his male dinner guests.
It was not initially adopted until Queen Victoria chose to use it during childbirth, after which it became very popular successfully and was introduced for general medical use. When he died, 100,000 people lined the streets and 1000 doctors and nurses walked in the cortege.

Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister, OM, FRS (5 April 1827 – 10 February 1912) was an English surgeon who promoted the idea of sterile surgery while working at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. He successfully introduced carbolic acid (phenol) to sterilize surgical instruments and to clean wounds, which led to reduced post-operative infections and made surgery safer for patients.

Sir Henry Duncan Littlejohn, 1826 - 1914. President of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh.
As Edinburgh's first Medical Officer of Health, Henry Littlejohn did much to educate the city's population in matters of personal and public hygiene. During his term, the death rate dropped dramatically and cases of smallpox and typhus became a rarity. A Professor of Medical Jurisprudence at Edinburgh University, he was also a brilliant teacher, holding his classes of over 250 students spell-bound.

Dr Andrew Duncan, Medical reformer. Born in St. Andrews, Duncan attended the University in that town, before going to the University of Edinburgh to complete his education. He followed a medical career, going on to become Professor of the Theory of Medicine at Edinburgh (1790) and President of the Royal College of Physicians. Duncan lectured on public health and set up a dispensary in Edinburgh in 1776 to try to improve the health of its citizens.
Duncan is best known for his humane treatment of the mentally ill. He had been disgusted by the death of his patient the poet Robert Fergusson (1750 - 74) in the horrific conditions of the Bedlam. He fought for an appropriate institution to house the insane and approval to build the Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum (or East House) was eventually given in 1807. The Asylum was built in the Morningside district of the city by architect Robert Reid and grew into the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Sir Alexander Fleming (6 August 1881 – 11 March 1955) was a Scottish biologist and pharmacologist. Fleming published many articles on bacteriology, immunology and chemotherapy. His best-known achievements are the discovery of the enzyme lysozyme in 1923 and the antibiotic substance penicillin from the fungus Penicillium notatum in 1928, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 with Howard Walter Florey and Ernst Boris Chain.

Sir Ian Wilmut, OBE (born 7 July 1944) is an English embryologist and is currently one of the leaders of the Queen's Medical Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh. He is best known as the leader of the research group that in 1996 first cloned a mammal from an adult somatic cell, a Finnish Dorset lamb named Dolly. He was granted an OBE in 1999 for services to embryo development. In December 2007 it was announced that he would be knighted in the 2008 New Year Honours

The Body Snatchers

During the time on the 'Teaching English for Medicine' course, the story of Burke and Hare in 1827 was recounted numerous times.

In order to run a successful School of Medicine, one requires 3 things:

• A student body
• Teaching bodies and
• Dead bodies (or cadavers)

However, due to mainly religious reasons, it was against the law to use a human body for resection. This led to 'gravediggers' or 'resurrectionists', individuals who would steal bodies from graveyards to supply the local medical schools on the black market. Towers built in cemeteries(like the one in the middle photo) housed sentinels to protect the graves.

However, the price paid for a body depended on it's freshness causing 2 Irish immigrants to hatch a plan to get rich quick!! They would search out lonely individuals, get them drunk, lure them back to their lodging house and then suffocate them before selling them to an ambitious Edinburgh anatomist named Dr Robert Knox. They killed 17 people over the course of a year before being discovered.

Because the evidence against the pair was not overwhelming, the police offered Hare immunity against prosecution if he testified against Burke whicih he duly did. Burke was found guilty and hanged to death in January 1829, after which his body was publically dissected at the Edinburgh School of Medicine. 42,000 people filed past to see the murderer's body. His skin was used to make wallets and book covers and examples of these and his skeleton can still be seen in the Royal College of Surgeons Museum.

In 1832, the laws which led to this case were abolished and people now bequeth their bodies!!

For more information, please click on the title 'The Body Snatchers' at the top of this page which will take you to Wikipaedia.

Edinburgh, City of Medicine

'Scottish Royal College of Surgeons - Surgeons Hall'


During the ‘Teaching English for Medicine’ course which I recently attended in Edinburgh, we were fortunate enough to listen to a talk given by J.S Moffat M.A (St Andrews). I would like to share my notes with you. May Allah have mercy on me if I noted anything inaccurately.
In the Dark Ages Scotland was not densely populated and hunter gatherers and early farmers didn’t travel much so although there were infections, they didn’t spread easily. Illnesses were treated by Celtic Shamen, primitive medicine men who used magic stones, incantations and herbal medicine.
In the 1100’s, boats came from Ireland bringing Christianity and disease. Christian monasteries and abbeys had areas for the monks to care for the poor and the sick. The medieval apothecaries dispensed herbs and chemicals to treat illness.
St Margaret of Scotland encouraged pilgrims to Scotland to worship at the shrine of St Andrew and this meant that people began to move around Europe causing leprosy to be introduced to Scotland. This epidemic lastest into the 1700’s, gradually clearing from South to North.

In 1349, ‘The sickness’, ‘Bubonic Plague’ or ‘The Black Death’ arrived in Scotland, possibly brought by the English army. Perhaps mercifully, for the many people struck by the plague, one thing they could almost certainly be sure of was that their pain would not last long. John of Forlan wrote;
“.... by Gods will, this evil lead to a strange and unwanted kind of death, insomuch that the flesh of the sick was somehow puffed out and swollen, and they dragged out their earthly life for barely two days”.
Plague doctors wore scary masks like that in the photo and as there was no cure, people were quarantined in tented communities outside the city walls until it was there turn to join the mass graves.
The people of the time believed that it was coming in by ship and quarantined ships for 40 days on the island of Beachcombe before being allowed into port. They also believed that it could be carried on clothes and those arriving in the port were made to strip and their clothes burnt.
In 1578, Robert Henrison was believed to be the first doctor appointed to advise Edinburgh city officials about how to deal with the epidemic.

King James the 4th of Scotland was an intellectual king with a desire for knowledge and he favoured medical practice outside the monasteries ratifying a royal charter of privileges in 1506.
In 1505, the Barber Surgeons of Edinburgh were formally incorporated as a Craft Guild of the city and this recognition is embodied in the Seal of Cause (or Charter of Privileges) which was granted to the Barber Surgeons by the Town Council of Edinburgh on 1st July 1505.
The Seal of Cause is a remarkable document. It clearly established the role of the Incorporation of Barbers and Surgeons as a body concerned with the maintenance and promotion of the highest standards of surgical practice and this remains the prime purpose of the great international surgical fellowship of the Royal College which has developed from the Incorporation.
The Seal of Cause conferred various privileges and imposed certain crucially important duties, the most important of these, entirely appropriate today, is
"... that no manner of person occupy or practise any points of our said craft of surgery... unless he be worthy and expert in all points belonging to the said craft, diligently and expertly examined and admitted by the Masters of the said craft and that he know Anatomy and the nature and complexion of every member of the human body... for every man ocht to know the nature and substance of everything that he works or else he is negligent."

One of the most important landmarks in the early history of the Barber Surgeons is the Royal Charter granted to them by Mary Queen of Scots, the grand-daughter of James IV, on 11th May 1567. This notable document - which is often referred to as the "Barber Surgeons’ letter of exemption", formally relieved members of the Incorporation from the obligation to bear arms in defence of the realm but obliged them to treat sick and wounded soldiers in the Queen’s armies - is the first formal statement anywhere of the non-combatant role of the army doctor.
The 15th century also saw an epidemic of syphilis which was believed to have come via England from Naples, another terminal disease, which although treated with mercury, was ultimately fatal. Healing stones and holy wells were still widely used although instruments found at a hospice during an archaeological dig at Soutra Aisle near Edinburgh closely resembled many of the modern day instruments.
In the 16th century, the Scots had to go abroad if they wanted to study medicine. They primarily chose the Leyden University in Holland, Pisa in Italy and the University of Paris.
With the reformation of the Catholic church around 1560, it was decided that the monks no longer treated the sick appropriately.
The 17th century saw the Scottish witch trials resulting in thousands of deaths based on the belief that women using herbal medicine were placing curses on individuals causing stillbirths and illnesses.
At this time, surgeons avoided operations as there were no anaesthetics and a majority of operations ended in death from infection. This was not good for the surgeons’ reputation and therefore they stuck to removing teeth, cupping (hijama), binding the dead and healing wounds. They charged fees for these services but were seen as lower than physicians.
In the late 17th century, Edinburgh University of Physicians was founded but they were still unable to teach medicine.
In 1707 the Scottish and English parliaments joined together and moved to London but lots of intellectual activity remained. The Scottish Enlightenment was the period in 18th century Scotland characterised by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. The first, non-religious institution in Edinburgh was set up by lay people and in 1726 the school of medicine was born. Although the first students were from Scotland, its reputation grew as it was cheap no religious tests were applied, unlike other colleges which were denomination biased. In 1730, 83 students enrolled in the anatomy class but by 1790, this number had risen to 500.
1729 saw the Royal Infirmary teaching hospital built, attracting many radical thinkers to the school of medicine. Students came from all over Europe.

The story of Burke and Hare was recounted at this point and will be highlighted in my next post.

In the 1920’s the British Empire was huge and the world was the Scots’ doctors’ oyster. Between the 18th and 19th century, 87% of the world’s doctors were Edinburgh graduates.
Notable graduates included:
Sir James Wiley, personal physician to the Russian Tsar
James Lynd, naval surgeon involved in the discovery of lemons to treat scurvy and
Sir John Pringle who proposed the concept that the wounded in battle should be free from attack which was adopted later in the Geneva Convention.

Medical English Sejour Linguistic to London

Hopeland is pleased to announce that it is currently developing Medical English language trips for previous Hopeland Medical English students.

This is an opportunity to benefit from individually tailored 1:1 Medical English classes with a British native speaker with 17 years NHS experience combined with visits to the largest medical bookshops, speciality specific museums and events in London.

This total immersion in the language will enable students to develop all four language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) at an accelerated pace.
The student can decide the number of taught hours, the theme of the lessons and the most appropriate venues to visit from a wide variety of options.

For further details, please send me a message at mahdiyahbensaid@hotmail.co.uk

Bare Below the Elbows

Having been in Algeria for 2 years, I was unaware that in late 2007, the Department of Health brought in guidance that all medical personnel should be bare below the elbow without exception. The document itself can be found here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_078433?IdcService=GET_FILE&dID=162876&Rendition=Web

Although there is no concrete evidence to prove that uniforms can transmit infections from one patient to another, public concern over the superbug MRSA and other hospital acquired infections have prompted this new guidance.

It is my understanding that each hospital is then responsible for managing the situation independently and therefore female muslim health professionals in one hospital may be permitted to wear disposable sleeves or theatre gowns whilst their colleagues in other hospitals are faced with the possibility of losing their jobs.

Although I was unaware of the new guidelines at interview in May, my 17 years nursing experience led me to ask the question as to whether my new Islamic dress code would cause a problem in relation to infection control or health and safety. I was told that they would find out. I heard nothing. On my return to the UK, I again enquired whether this had been investigated and was told they would look into it and let me know. Again, I heard nothing. I rang today to be told that the manager had told her staff not to intervene. I am now waiting for an answer to my question from the human resources department and will keep you posted.

This is a very difficult issue for me as nursing has been my lifelong passion and the thought of giving it up hurts very much but this must be balanced with my belief and so I seek Allah's guidance and insha'Allah kheir.

Teach the Teachers

This is me receiving my certificate following the 'Teaching English for Medicine' course which I attended in Scotland in early August. The course was designed to enable teachers of Medical English to offer the best courses possible based on knowing where to access appropriate resources and how to adapt them to the students needs.
The course will enable me to offer specific sejour linguistique programmes to Algerian doctors wishing to improve their English in the UK their own speciality.

The course was very informative with an expert teacher and ran at the same time as the Edinburgh Festival and Military Tattoo so there was lots to see and do. A great time was had by all!!

Have Your Say!

It is very important for me to ensure that the Medical English Programme at Hopeland Institute remains the most up-to-date and student focused course of it's kind. With this in mind, students are asked to provide an evaluation of the course including what they found good about it and which areas could be improved.

I am proud to include their responses in this post and look forward to working with their suggestions to inform further development of the programme. Thank you to those students who responded.

Student 1:
First of all when I heard about something called Medical English I was surprised and very happy to know that there is such a thing in Algeria, I think that it leads to progress,it leads to be more open to the international community (share experiences,learn from each other...the language is not a barrier anymore),it also helps if/when u want to attend international conferences,use databanks,read articles in English,study abroad...When I came to Hopeland to study Medical English I saw the book and the programme and I loved it, but I knew that I'll not have enough time to come to class at Hopeland because of my studies and because I really wanted to do it and to get a degree in medical English I thought that I should probably think about using the book for self study, but when I came to class I really liked it ,it was not boring at all ,we did a lot of activities, we learn to work in team, we were free to talk ...

Ms Louise you added soooooo much to the course, you added sooo much to us as a MEDICAL English teacher, as an ENGLISH teacher and also as human , sincerely admire you for that.you're a hard worker, perfectionist, open minded and sooooooooooooo gentel .You were very patient to us, and I MEAN IT! You explain and repeat again and again, you never go mad when we make stupid mistakes; you encourage us to do better.you love people thats why they love you so much , actually your the only "foreigner “who says " I love Algeria, I love the weather and the people." Generally Algerians and foreiners are complaining of almost everything in this country!!!! that was what i liked the most about you as a person .now about you as Medical English teacher I'd say again your patience,then the fact that you understand and speak French I think its a big advantage, its very helpful to understand the common mistakes that we make (knowing that we (most of us if not all of us) speak French and THINK in French,thats why sometimes we use French words and expressions to say something in English and ur ability to understand that and deal with it is amazing)Mrs Louise YOU made this course more interresting,cuz you were not teching us just the equivalents of medical terms in English , you teached us HOW to produce the language (thats what you always say and that what you did).

I liked almost everything about the Medical English and you as a teacher ,I know that u're looking for constructive critisism but I really dont find something bad!mmmm or maybe one thing ,in my opinion we should do the ''over to you'' activities as a home work and give it back to you .thats my opinion thats all .

Student 2:
For médical english, I think that your method is gratfull I sware, but if there is anything to add, I think that it will be better if there is more hours for reading and perhaps home work like researches about diseases or... , it helps the student to improve his english because I noticed when I was studying général english at another school 2 years before I began medical english at hopeland that I didn't remember anything when I finished my training so learning english is more easier when it is a way to search something or studying medecine for exemple, it's better to memorise. This is what I think, and I wish you a lot of success.

Student 3:
there a lot that i want to tell you ...;in the first time i was stupified by ur appointement ...and ur energy ...i couldn't explain how you can think about everything even small details .... for me it was wonderful experience to get courses by someone like you .....and especially a native spearker ......i can't ignore that you have search for documents to teach us .....the blue book ..the red and the other ( the small one ) those are well orgonized and very useful ..... what i think could be done is to keep students talk more and more ..............like u said try to chooose hot subjects.......................... coz we dont talk a lot in english.... ur methotodology in teaching is perfect .....you respect high academic rules

in general that was very good experience .........and i want to thank you a lot for being always with us ... to feel what we've been feeling .....and to support us ......you keep us strong "i swear "

Student 4:
The receptionists are kind and answer to all questions. The booking process is easy, your english is estimated, it is fast and it is not expensive.
It was a very interesting group, they were selected according to their medical and english knowledge therefore there was a good ambience. I was satisfied with the resources used during the course, there were many exercises, lots of grammar and vocabulary notes given to us, it was very helpful.
I often use the medical text book to revise my medical english Louise was wonderful with us. We improved our general english and learnt medical english with her, she made us discover the British culture, she gave us self-esteem and confidence with her encouragements.
For me, the timing of the course was perfect, working all week long, I had only my weekends to have class. Have been in that class make me very proud.


Student 5:
I write this email to explain to you my feeling during the medical English courses.
The courses are very interesting but not attractive for me because of the program .
I think that during the inscription you should explain with details the contains of the program, because it’s not really what I’m looking for .I’m not doctor and I’m not student in medicine.
I feel myself very depressed when you explain to me that my level is down ,and that you have to follow the majority of students ( perhaps in public school ,not in private school !)
you can break the motivation of the students …
In this case you have to choice only people with THE level.
I keep thinking that 8 or 7 hours during one day per week is too much .2 *4 hs shoud be better to learn.
I learn a lot of thinks with you,and I spend good times.
You should just keep this word in your mind “motivation”,it’s very important to make people improve themselves.

Student 6:
here are some points :- i noticed that the students' level of english affect negatively on the course,by wasting time in explanation of general english.- i hope to give big time to prononciation of medical words or if possible take as a course.- i think that it's better to have three courses a weed in stead of once 'cause chapters will be less which give students time to research easly.

Medical English Class of 2009 Graduation

Firstly, I would like to say how proud I am of the Medical English graduates.

They have shown true dedication and commitment to the 6 month programme and I have been impressed and inspired by their determination, especially during the past few weeks when they have almost lived at the school in order to achieve the grades they require!!
Some have progressed beyond my wildest imagination through their hard work and perseverance whilst others have provided a constantly high level of performance throughout providing support for their colleagues.

They have been an absolute pleasure to teach and I hope that insha’Allah we will remain in touch in the future so that they can continue to develop their English skills to enable them to achieve their full potential and because I have developed good relationships with many of them and feel like my children are leaving home!!!!
Each and every one of you more than deserves this certificate and I congratulate you all on a job very well done!

As most of you know, I shall be leaving Algeria for a number of months to practice clinically and undergo some training in the UK in order to ensure that Medical English at Hopeland remains the most up-to-date and relevant programme of its kind in Algeria. It is hoped that during this time I can also develop the Advanced Medical English, English for Research and English for Pharmacists Programmes as well as Medical Sejour Linguistique.
Insha’Allah I will be back at the end of the year but would like to wish you all in the interim much success in your continued studies and look forward to hearing from you whilst in the UK!

From Medicine To International Development

Congratulations to all my Medical English students who graduated on Thursday the 16th of July 2009!! I’m so proud of you!
At the graduation ceremony, Dr Lindsay Edouard, Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Algeria, gave a fascinating talk entitled ‘From Medicine to International Development’.

This was followed by a short speech by myself, a presentation of the certificates by Dr Edouard and finally by a reception for further discussion and refreshments. It also gave me the opportunity to take lots of photos which can be found on the Algerian Medics Facebook Group http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=103530842894#/group.php?gid=48979073152&ref=ts

Dr Edouard’s talk started with a description of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), this acronym reflecting its original name: the United Nations Fund for Population Activities. He focussed largely on its activities in the area of reproductive health.
He challenged the audience to think about the wider perspective of medicine by examining the relevance of public health with its emphasis on epidemiology, a quantitative science which looks at the control and spread of disease, risk factors and how to reduce them. He continued by discussing the rationale for resource allocation so as to meet priority needs of a population.

International health activities are currently guided by the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which range from addressing poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015. These form a blueprint agreed to by all countries and leading development institutions. They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world’s poorest.
Goal 4 aims to reduce child mortality whereas Goal 5 is for improving maternal health. The following website provides detailed information regarding the goals, specific targets and related documentation: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals

Dr Edouard highlighted that in public health, a small mistake can have major consequences as it affects a large number of individuals as opposed to clinical medicine where a mistake would affect just that individual patient. He also reminded us that once an intervention has been introduced in service delivery, it can be very difficult to modify it. He went further by mentioning the difficulties with the appropriate number and timing of prenatal visits: in implementing the findings of scientific studies for seeking cost-effectiveness, consideration is also given to the need for reassurance through regular check-ups.

For further objective information on the value of interventions in health care, Dr Edouard pointed us towards the websites of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Effectiveness, a British initiative, at http://www.nice.org.uk and the international Cochrane Collaboration at http://cochrane.co.uk/en/collaboration.html.

Hopeland Institute would like to thank Dr Edouard for his talk and participation in the graduation ceremony as our honoured guest and wish him well in his next post.

AMP Blida

Today, we had the great pleasure to be invited to Club Hippique to discuss the Medical English Programme with doctors in Blida. The day was organised by Dr Amine Rahmi, President of the Association for Private Doctors in the Wilaya of Blida and was kindly sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline.

Dr Rahmi gave a brief introduction which was followed by a presentation on 'Seretide' for the prevention of asthma. Following this, we were treated to a lovely lunch of salad, an assortment of seafood and finally icecream!

It was then my turn to give a presentation on the Medical English Programme run by Hopeland Institute. Having had the opportunity to speak with a number of the doctors on arrival, it dawned on me that their general level was slightly lower than I had been expecting and so I decided to try to give the presentation in French. With powerpoint slides in English and my limited French, I outlined the course contents, materials and assessment process following which, Mr Dib, Director of the school gave a broader view of the activities of the Institute.

Doctors were then given the opportunity to discuss the course with previous Medical English students from Algiers, Jenny Henry (Blida Medical English teacher), myself and Mr Dib over mint tea and coffee.

It was a very interesting and enjoyable day and our thanks, once again, goes to both Dr Rahmi and GSK for organising this event.

Medical English........Does it have a future?

After 18 months of Medical English at Hopeland Institute, I would just like to give a brief resume of how the course has developed so far and whether I think it has a future in Algeria.
Following 3 months preparation of the course, the first class began in January 2008 with 4 dedicated students. Although designed as a six month course (6 hours, one day a week), the course’s inbuilt flexibility and catch up lessons enabled them to follow it despite on-call, operating, conference and personal commitments. They were presented with their graduation certificates in January 2009 by the British Ambassador at a special CLUB Hopeland talk given by His Excellency Mr Andrew Henderson.
The second class ran from July to December although sickness, emigration and work commitments caused the number of students to fall from 7 to 3. As the previous students were attending the lessons they had missed the first time round, the class size remained feasible in these initial stages of setting up the course. Of these three, two are due to graduate next month and the third has delayed her studies due to medical exam pressure.

The third and current class has been far more successful and will finish next week with 10 of its original 11 students. Graduation is due to take place on the 16th of July at CLUB Hopeland where those who have passed will receive their certificates.

Apart from the classes being taught in-house, I have also had the pleasure to teach in the hospital setting enabling the medical staff to make best use of their time and resources. This experience has also given me the opportunity to appreciate the environment in which my students are working and adapt the class accordingly.

So what’s next?

Well, although my heart and soul are here in Algeria, it is necessary for me to go to the UK for a few months to work clinically and update my skills to maintain my nursing qualification. I am also due to attend a ‘Teaching English for Medicine’ course at Edinburgh University to ensure that we continue to develop and improve our services. Travelling between the two countries will enable me to continue to add to our collection of up-to-date books, journals and other medical resources to facilitate the high quality teaching environment on which we are developing our reputation.

I am pleased to say that we continue to grow and are currently looking to expand into Blida and Mila by inviting other native speakers with medical backgrounds into our rapidly growing family of highly qualified teachers. When I return, I will continue to teach in Algiers and develop the services being provided.

As you can see, the future is exciting and we welcome any suggestions or comments you have regarding Medical English in Algeria!

I look forward to writing again after graduation!

Anniversary Photos

2nd Anniversary Celebration

On the 25th of June 2009, Hopeland Institute celebrated its 2nd Anniversary by holding an Open Day from 09.00-20.00. As the photos will testify, we had a wonderful day sharing the school’s achievements with the teachers, students, parents and the general public.

Medical English books and other resources were on display to view and the accompanying CD’s available to listen to. Photos and samples of written homework illustrated the achievements of previous Medical English students and example games and crosswords on the whiteboard gave a taste of our unique, interactive and fun teaching methods.

It also gave me an opportunity to highlight the part that the blog and the ‘Algerian Medics’ Facebook groups have on staying in touch with and providing support for one another.
I was on hand all day to answer any questions regarding Medical English or our Teaching Training programme alongside my colleagues who manned similarly organised rooms to highlight their areas of expertise such as General and Business English, English for Hospitality and Tourism, the Children’s Programme, other languages and an area to display photos from the monthly CLUB Hopeland talks.

Many individuals took advantage of the half price ‘test of level’ offer and we were all thrilled that the day was such a success.
I hope that you enjoy the photos and more can be found on the ‘Hopeland Institute Algiers’ and ‘Algerian Medics’ Facebook groups or by checking out the Hopeland Institute website.

Proud Moment

I would like to share my proud moment with you as it came completely unexpected but very much appreciated.

At CLUB Hopeland on the 19th March, I was busy taking photographs of Mr Zulkifly Abdul Malek, Charge d'Affaires at the Malaysian Embassy who was giving a talk in English on Opportunities in Malaysia.

The Director of Studies announced that she would like Mr Abdul Malek to present a couple of certificates as has been done in the past by the British Ambassador. There was I, posed with my camera, when it was taken from me! I assumed that cultural issues meant that the person receiving the certificate would not wish to have their photograph taken, however, much to my surprise my name was read out to receive the 'Teacher of the Year' award.

It has admittedly been a challenge developing and marketing the Medical English programme in Algeria but I am extremely grateful to Mr and Mrs Dib for giving me the opportunity to do so and their unwavering support during the process. Through the determination of everyone involved, we now have a regularly running Medical English course to be proud of as well as being able to offer other services such as Medical translation and conference preparation. It has certainly been worth it and we hope to be able to help Algerian doctors benefit from the advantages of knowing Medical English in an English dominated profession.

Job Opportunity

Medical English Teacher

Job Opportunity

Hopeland Institute, Algeria, is now looking for a Medical English teacher to support the work of the Director of Medical English studies.
Requirements:
3-5 years of medical experience
1-2 years of teaching experience
Advanced English proficiency
Motivated, hard-working professional
Convivial and inspiring but disciplined teaching style
Thrives on organisation
Excellent attention to detail
Proactive, enthusiastic and creative
Team player and works well with others
Good computer skills
Professional appearance

Responsibilities:
Reports to the Director of Medical English
Promote the academic image of the course and the school at all times
Maintain administrative records
Maintain continual professional development

Training of the programme being used will be provided. In order to maintain our family productive atmosphere, all employees who join our team are expected to conform to Hopeland standards of politeness, courtesy, honesty, integrity, ethics, timeliness, dependability, cooperativeness, quality customer service, and the highest possible quality work product.

Please see the following websites:
· http://www.hopelanddz.com
· http://algerianmedics.blogspot.com
· http://facebook.com ‘Algerian Medics’ / ‘Hopeland Institute Algiers’ groups
Please forward C.V with covering letter to Mrs Louise Bensaid (lbensaid@hopelanddz.com )

Finally Getting Somewhere!

Hello friends. My apologies for neglecting my duty to update this blog as often as I should, however, I am pleased to bring good news about my project in Algeria.

As the previous post details, the graduates of the last Medical English class were presented with their certificates by the British Ambassador at a CLUB Hopeland event on the 22nd January this year. This coincided with the start of the third Medical English group at the Institute. The course has been gaining popularity and a waiting list has now been drawn up for the next course in June / July 2009.

Whilst the majority of students prefer to enrol directly with the school, there has also been continued interest from hospitals and clinics and this week saw the first course to be run on-site at a hospital in central Algiers.

We now also have a group on 'Facebook' called Algerian Medics where the students can interact with one another and keep updated with the latest events at the school.

I will let you know as things develop!

British Ambassador Congratulates Graduates

British / Algerian Relations in 2009
On Thursday the 22nd of January 2009, Hopeland Institute had the pleasure of welcoming His Excellency Andrew Henderson, British Ambassador in Algeria, and his wife, Julia, to give a talk in English on British / Algerian Relations in 2009.

He began by outlining a brief history to date:
· In 1585, Queen Elizabeth the 1st established the Barbary Trade Company which was granted a monopoly of trading in Algeria.
· John Tipton was the 1st British Consul to Algiers, largely a political move to gain Algeria’s support against Spain with whom the British had uncomfortable relations at the time.
· Elizabeth the 1st was succeeded by James the 1st who had better relations with Spain and therefore Algeria became less important to the British.
· Piracy followed
· The 1620’s, saw the notorious raid when Mourad Rais sailed to Ireland and captured 200 Irish. Apparently, according to one of our teachers who has been there, Baltimore, in Ireland, is like a mini Algiers!
· In 1816 Lord Exmouth was ordered to abolish slavery in Algeria and this was the first time that the British fired on Algiers
· In the 18th and 19th Century, British travellers to Algiers increased due to the belief that the climate was particularly good for one’s health. Books were even written in the 1850’s and 60’s about the advantages of living in Algiers! It was dubbed the ‘Torquay of North Africa’ and was certainly cheaper than Marseille!!!! There were even known British areas of the city.
· In the middle of 1867, the British Consul in Algiers, Robert Playfair, was appointed and he started raising money to build a church which was finally consecrated in 1871. It was situated where the Grande Poste now stands. A small cottage hospital was also built.
· 1942 – The Algerian coast was important in the 2nd World War as it was an allied landing. There are 5 cemeteries of British soldiers in Algeria who fought against the Germans (Oran, Annaba, Bejaia and two in Algiers).
· During the difficult years of the 1990’s, the British Embassy curtailed its activities and is still in the process of re-establishing itself here.
· In 2005, it moved temporarily to the Hilton hotel but whilst all credit is due to the hotel staff, these were just two incompatible functions and therefore the Embassy moved into a rented villa owned by Yaacef Saad.
· A new Embassy is currently being built and is due to be completed in April 2009 insha’Allah.
His Excellency then went on to explain the Embassy’s role in the current climate:
· A new embassy building is due to be completed by April 2009
· Services include the usual consular support to its own people, Algerians wanting to travel to the UK and commercial support to British companies wanting to develop relationships with Algerian companies
· Sharing of knowledge related to the war on terrorism and security and a police attaché for returning those requiring judicial services to their own country
· Talking with the Authorities about the issues of the day so currently that will include Gaza, Afghanistan and the Middle East Peace Process amongst other things
· Administration
Mr Henderson outlined the following priorities:
· The security of his staff and the embassy
· Counter terrorism
· Energy Issues
British Petroleum was one of the first major foreign investors in the energy field in Algeria and was followed by British Gas and Shell.
Great Britain gets 5% of its natural gas from Algeria but North Sea supplies are rapidly decreasing and therefore Algeria’s rich supply of this commodity makes it an important player in the ‘energy’ debate.
· Migration Issues
· ‘Algeria is Open for Business’
98% of Algeria’s export earnings currently come from oil and gas but Algeria is not just oil and gas!
His Excellency would like to see a variety of businesses working with Algeria in the near future. British companies currently in Algeria include Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline and HSBC which can only be a good sign.
· State visits
President Bouteflika last visited London in the Summer of 2006 but the Queen’s last state visit to Algeria was in 1980.
· Duration of Ambassador’s post
His Excellency explained that the post of Ambassador has historically been held for one to two years and that although he has already been in Algeria for 18 months, he hopes that a further 18 months will allow him to achieve more of his objectives.
Question Time
1. What’s happening with the British Council?
When British Council closed in the mid-90s they ran a teaching centre and a library. They returned in 2007 but with a slightly different focus. They are now working with the Ministry of Education to help raise the level of English language teaching in Algeria.
2. How large is the British community in Algeria?
A majority of British people in Algeria are transient, often working for 28 days at a time. There is also a community of British wives who have not registered with the Embassy but integrated themselves into Algerian communities. There are 250 registered with the Consulate.
3. How large is the Algerian community in the UK?
There are approximately 29,600 Algerians registered at the Algerian Embassy in London although the true number of Algerians in the UK is unknown. Figures have been estimated well into 50,000.
4. Why is there no British library?
Time has moved on and a library may not be the most efficient use of resources. An internet information centre may be more appropriate but this is something which will be looked into by the British Council in time bearing in mind that in general, internet use is less than 5% in the country.
5. Why are English books not represented at the International book fair?
This is a difficult event to manage due to getting materials in through the port in time so businesses are unwilling to take the risk of paying for a stand and then having nothing to display.
6. Does the British Embassy have the equivalent of the American RELO (Regional English Language Officer) and if so, would they be interested in visiting the school?
His Excellency promised to find this out and contact us with a name. Apparently there is someone who is currently working in Algeria and Tunisia who will be spending more time in Algeria in the future.

Interest in Education
His Excellency mentioned that whenever he visits a new city, he tries to ensure he visits the University. He is well aware that the number of students in the English departments is between 800-1000 wherever he goes and would like to see the Embassy being more ambitious than in the past, however, the current financial crisis in the UK may make this more difficult.
Chevening Scholarship Scheme – for more information, please see the Embassy website
There is also a plan to send 1000 teachers to the UK for additional training.
Graduation
Question Time was followed by the presentation of certificates to Medical English students and those who have completed level 5 General English. Students were also presented with Medical English or General English dictionaries respectively.

Social Gathering
The afternoon ended with drinks and nibbles in the ‘Bronx’, although whether His Excellency and his wife found time to drink anything was debatable as students and staff alike took the rare opportunity to speak with them and benefit from their relaxed and easy-to-talk to personalities.
All in all, a wonderful learning experience was had by all and we thank Mr Andrew Henderson and his wife, Julia for visiting the school, sharing their experiences and passing the time with us all. We also thank them for allowing us to use the photographs taken on the day for the ‘Facebook’ groups and the Algerian Medics blog.

Photos can be seen on the Facebook Hopeland Institute Algiers and Hopeland Teachers groups as well as the Algerian Medics blog.