Medical Edu Tourism presentation March 18

A NEW INNINGS: Competitiveness through Global Value Chains, Clustering and Innovation

A New Innings: Competitiveness through Global Value Chains,

Clustering and Innovation


Medical Education Tourism in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

(OECS)

A Case Study by Natasha Gomes-George

Julianne Jarvis Natasha Mortley *

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Educational Tourism • Educational tourism is travel undertaken by an

individual to a unique location for the purpose of formal or informal learning in various forms such as work experience, training in a new language, culinary training, medical tourism, cultural tours, and professional development (CETA 2010)

• Also referred to as Offshore Education • International medical students coming to the

Caribbean make a significant contribution to tourism

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Global Value Chains• The Global Value Chain (GVC) framework,

according to Gereffi and Lee (2012) focuses on globally expanding supply chains and how value is created and captured therein

• Our study looks at the offshore medical schools within the educational tourism sector (their entry, operations and best practices)

• It assesses the position of these offshore medical schools within the GVC


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The Problem • The global financial crisis has highlighted the need for

diversification from traditional sectors especially in developing countries

• Medical education in the OECS offers one alternative for such diversification

• Diversification and integration into global supply and value chains is the way forward

• The case study analyses Offshore medical schools within the OECS sub region and the impact on the national economies of three OECS countries – Antigua, Grenada, St. Lucia


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Objectives of Study • Examine the entry and operations of offshore

medical schools into the OECS sub region• Suggest strategies for upgrading the product

and moving it into the Medical Tourism Industry

• Identify lessons learned from the case study


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Methodology Employed

• Three OECS countries Antigua, Grenada and St. Lucia

• Review the Literature (Global Value Chains and other Case Studies done)

• Secondary data (global trends on offshore medical schools)

• In depth interviews with a mix of stakeholders (policy makers, tourism experts, Accreditation Board, personnel at the Medical Schools)


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Offshore Medical Schools in the Caribbean

• 23 to 30% of medical students in the Caribbean are to be found in the OCES region (2005)

• Cater mainly to North American medical students who hope to practice medicine in North America

• Focus on teaching rather than research (clinical, residency and research components not included)

• Off shore medical schools cheaper and less competitive than North American medical schools


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Medical students’ Spending (St. Lucia)*


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Factors Driving Demand for Offshore Medical Schools

• Cost of the education• Brand name of the provider (e.g St. George’s

University, Grenada 1977)• Value-added from the program e.g. better job

opportunities, access to jobs abroad etc.• Reputation, quality and perceptions of the programme• Convenience and nature of delivery e.g. a local

campus, Caribbean appeal, distance learning via the internet etc.


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Offshore Medical Education Value Chain


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Value Chain Explained • Offshore university value chain includes a

network of activities centered on recruitment, teaching, research, and the overall educational package for arriving students and faculty

• Its shows activities pre education (e.g. recruitment), education and post education

• Medical students to the OECS region do not go through all of these stages in the Caribbean

• Also includes value added activities


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Upgrading Strategies• Market entry - entry into the Medical Tourism

Value Chain ( Medical Tourism Consumer)• Product upgrading - infra structural

development, additional programmes, increase capacity through research and expansion of teaching hospital

• End market upgrading - any Niche in OECS countries eg. Antigua Rehabilitation Center and Dentistry


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Lessons Learned • The OECS countries need both standardization and differentiation

within this sector (standardization on things that policy and protocols for entry and accreditation process)

• OECS differentiation of product – each country match the product to resources/capabilities of individual countries

• Policy framework for entry requires a predictable policy that clearly states what aspects we are trying to attract and what are the specific requirements for each aspect to be established

• There is a distinction between health tourism (health and wellness) and medical tourism. The OECS region is well placed and should focus on health and wellness niche (recuperation, spa, healthy eating, clean air, rejuvenation).


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Lessons Learned continued…• The most critical issue is the accreditation process

from start to finish. The process needs to be clear and should be done in stages. E.g. stage one a school should not be allowed to operate without its curriculum being properly reviewed first

• For medical tourism there are 3 stages - basic diagnostic, actual medical interventions and recuperative stages. Focus on stages 1 and 3 for now (stage 2 is more technical stage and the OECS countries are not there yet)

Documents

Medical Edu Tourism presentation March 18