To address the growing demand for specialist care across Fiji and the Pacific, the University of Fiji has announced its plans to introduce a Master’s in Orthopedics.
The announcement was made by Pro-Chancellor Bhuwan Dutt during the official opening of the University’s International Health Conference, hosted by the Umanand Prasad School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
According to the university, the programme will be launched following necessary approvals from University Senate Committee and Higher Education Commission Fiji (HECF).
Dutt says this programme is a significant addition to their academic offerings.
He says it reflects their vision to not only train general practitioners but also develop expertise in critical medical disciplines.
The University says the proposed Master’s in Orthopaedics will complement the schools current programme offerings, which include the MBBS, Bachelor of Medical and Health Sciences, Bachelor of Nursing, and Bachelor of Public Health.
It says since its establishment in 2007, the school has expanded its footprint beyond its main Saweni campus to Samabula and Ba, with graduates now serving in healthcare facilities across the nation.
They say the announcement is a milestone event for the university, and the broader Pacific medical community.
While speaking about the University’s International Health Conference, Dutt says this conference is a platform for collaboration and innovation.
He says it opens the doors to deeper research, stronger partnerships, and transformative health interventions that go beyond academic discussion and into real-world application.
The two-day conference features a diverse programme of plenaries, technical sessions, and panel discussions, addressing both general and specialized areas of healthcare.
Topics include health systems resilience, medical technology, regional disease burdens, and community health delivery.
In his keynote address, Dutt also reminded attendees of the importance of human values in medicine.
He says technical knowledge must be paired with compassion, fairness, and ethics, as true healthcare transformation comes when professionals engage both the mind and the heart.
He urged participants to engage fully and let the outcomes of the conference extend into policy, practice, and long-term partnerships.
The conference also pays tribute to the resilience of health workers across the Pacific, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The university envisions the event as the first of many international academic gatherings aimed at shaping the future of health in the region.
