In early February, I had the privilege of traveling to the spectacular island of Malta for an initial staff visit to CoROM (the College of Remote and Offshore Medicine). CoROM is at the very beginning of exploring accreditation by NECHE, a process it shares with a number of other international institutions. As I’ve found in my travels around New England and across the globe, each of the colleges and universities NECHE accredits is unique and all are fascinating (as I hope this blog has proven). I’m happy to report that CoROM more than upholds that tradition.
I timed my visit so that I could attend the inaugural conference sponsored by CoROM titled “Medicine in the Mediterranean.” The attendees were a compelling group of professionals, virtually all working as medical personnel in some of the most remote and dangerous environments in the world, including on the battlefields of Ukraine and in the Antarctic. The conference was held in the stunningly renovated Mediterranean Conference Center, housed in an ancient hospital named Sacra Infermeria that, like much of old Malta, was built by the Knights of the Order of St. John in the 16th century.
So what exactly is this college up to?
CoROM is a not-for-profit college currently accredited by the Malta Higher Education Department. It focuses on the practice of healthcare in remote, austere, and resource-poor environments, providing membership, academic training, and professional registration for the remote practitioner. Its mission is to train medical professionals to work in difficult environments and continue to provide evidence-based medicine in prolonged field care conditions.
The founding trustee, Aebhric O’Kelly was one of my hosts – and if his name sounds a tad Irish, that’s because he is…as well as being an American citizen. Aebhric served in the US Army as a Green Beret/Special Forces Medic, and he created the college to open a pathway for veterans to use the medical skills they honed in the field to thrive in post-service careers. His program would be the first professional academic degree ever developed for paramedics.
My other host was John Clark, the Executive Dean of CoROM, and if you want to feel insecure about your business card, consider the initials after Clark’s name: JD, MBA, NRP. FP-C. CCP-C. WP-C. CMTE. That’s short for Juris Doctor, Masters of Business Administration, Nationally Registered Paramedic, Certified Flight Paramedic, Certified Critical Care Paramedic, Certified Wilderness Paramedic, and Certified Medical Transport Executive. Powerful credentials!
When we returned to Malta a week later, we toured some of the CoROM classrooms for students in the beautiful city of Mdina, and its administrative space in Pretty Bay, where we saw some instruction in action. Clearly, the school is in the startup phase of its existence, but the principals are passionate about the undertaking and undeterred by hurdles to be overcome.
O’Kelly created CoROM to answer an unmet need he saw in the educational marketplace — a place where experienced professionals in the paramedic field could perfect their knowledge and skills while earning a college degree in their chosen field. What that could mean, particularly for returning veterans, is a game-changing path to financial security and employment.
It’s difficult to imagine a more worthy mission–or a more dedicated group of administrators and students. We wish them well!
