THE HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY MEDICINE

On the 19 February 1999 Prof. Mark P Brincat, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Malta, announced that the setting-up of a long-overdue University Department of Family Medicine had been included in the Faculty of Medicine & Surgery's Strategic Plan for 1998-2000. Prof. Brincat had then asked Dr Denis Soler, as President of the Malta College of Family Doctors, to chair an interim Advisory Committee on Family Medicine, with Dr Mario R Sammut and Dr Philip Sciortino as the other members.  

In May 1999 the Faculty Board of Medicine and Surgery unanimously approved the setting up of a Department of Family Medicine, and this was subsequently confirmed by the University Senate in November 1999, and by the University Council in February 2000.  

A call for applications for Academic Posts in Family Medicine was issued on 26 April 2000, and applicants interviewed on the 14 February 2001. The following were given a formal appointment  as lecturers within the Department with effect from the 30 April 2001: Dr Denis Soler, Dr Ray Busuttil, Dr Pierre Mallia, Dr Joseph G Pace, Dr Mario R Sammut, Dr Philip Sciortino and Dr Vincent S Zammit. After individual consultations on the 12 July 2001 with University Rector Prof. Roger Ellul-Micallef, Dr Denis Soler was chosen as Head of the Department of Family Medicine, which post he holds up to the present day.

It was decided that the Department would be responsible for delivering a month-long module in Family Medicine in each of the 3 final years of the undergraduate course in Medicine & Surgery. The first ever Departmental lecture was given by Dr Denis Soler on Thursday 8 January 2002 at the Medical School, G’Mangia. The first community attachment of students to tutors in family medicine was held in October 2003, while the first ever examination for final year students was held in mock form on 30 January 2004.

A major task undertaken by the Department was the funding of a Teachers' Course in Family Medicine, for members of the Malta College of Family Doctors, run by two expert trainers from the Royal College of General Practitioners over 3 modules held in May and September 2002 and May 2003.

In June 2004 Dr Denis Soler presented the first draft of a Master’s programme in Family Medicine. This postgraduate course was launched formally in October 2007 with eleven students and Dr Philip Sciortino as its coordinator.