HISTORY

The Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medical Services-Rangsit University, is a unit of the Department of Medical Services, Ministry of Public Health. It was established to oversee the clinical education of medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, Rangsit College (at that time) which was the first private medical school in Thailand. It becomes the 9th medical institution among medical schools nationwide. From 1992 to 2023, a total of 2,600 graduates from 30 classes have completed their studies and are now working in various regions of Thailand, with the majority employed in the public sector.

The President of Rangsit College, Dr. Arthit Ourairat, submitted a request in document number วรส. 216/2531 dated May 18, 1988, seeking cooperation from the Ministry of Public Health to provide practical training for health science students at Rangsit College (which later became Rangsit University on July 31, 1990). Upon review, it was determined that the agencies within the Ministry of Public Health were well-equipped and ready to support the training for medical students. These agencies included Rajavithi Hospital, Children’s Hospital (now Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health), as well as Central Hospitals and Community Health Centers.

At that time, Dr. Thatchai Mungkarndee, M.D., the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, acting on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, responded to the President of Rangsit College in document number สธ. 0212/4.4/636 dated June 24, 1988. He stated that, after consideration, approval was granted in principle. Additionally, he requested cooperation from the Department of Medical Services to approve Rajavithi Hospital and Children’s Hospital as training sites for health science students. Rangsit College would be responsible for various expenses incurred during the students’ practical training.

On June 2, 1989, the Ministry of University Affairs authorized Rangsit College to commence the Doctor of Medicine program, starting from the first semester of the academic year 1989.

On May 5-6, 1990, a seminar was held to coordinate between the government and private sectors, aiming to establish coordination guidelines between the Department of Medical Services, led by Dr. Sujin Phalakornkul, M.D., as the Director General at that time, and the Faculty of Medicine at Rangsit College. The president, Dr. Arthit Ourairat and Associate Professor Prasong Tuchinda, M.D., the Dean, summarized the following points:

1. The collaboration aims to address national issues.
2. The approach to collaboration within Rangsit College’s Faculty of Medicine is esteemed and not profit-oriented.
3. The quality of students is not only measured by their knowledge but also by their attitudes and ethics, ensuring they are prepared to serve the public ethically as physicians.
4. The Faculty of Medicine at Rangsit College does not seek to compete with the government; instead, it stands ready to assist if the government requires services it can provide, and vice versa.

Subsequently, Dr. Chantakorn Chutidumrong, M.D., the Deputy Director General of Medical Affairs, who was acting as the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Medical Services, issued a letter with reference number สธ 0305/8385 dated December 23, 1991, to the Director of Rajavithi Hospital. The letter summarized that, in order to ensure that the training of medical students meets the specified objectives and can effectively provide clinical training to medical students in the academic year 1992, the Department of Medical Services requested the cooperation of Rajavithi Hospital in providing training for medical students of Rangsit University in accordance with the guidelines set by the Ministry of Public Health.

The management of the Department of Medical Services has established various committees and subcommittees, including the Committee for the Management of Medical Student Training, the Training Committee, the Subcommittee for Specialty Groups, the Budget Review Subcommittee for Medical Student Training, and the Construction Subcommittee.

On June 1, 1992, an orientation ceremony was held for the first batch of clinical medical students, totalling 33 individuals.

A seminar on collaborative physician training was conducted jointly by the Department of Medical Services and Rangsit University from April 4th to 6th, 1993.

On May 18, 1993, the Office of the Deputy Dean for Clinical Affairs was established. Subsequently, it was transformed into the Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medical Services-Rangsit University, with an official opening ceremony on January 7, 1994.

On March 15, 1994, a signing ceremony was held for the agreement on collaborative physician training of clinical physicians. The agreement was signed by representatives from the Department of Medical Services, including Dr. Vitoon Sangsingkaew, M.D., the Director-General, and Dr. Sanan Prasertsilp, M.D., the Deputy Director-General, as well as Mr. Prasit Ourairat, the President of Rangsit University Council, and Professor Dr. Prasong Tuchinda, M.D., the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Rangsit University. The agreement encompasses the following points:

1. The Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medical Services-Rangsit University, was established to jointly manage education and teaching in the clinical department. This includes overseeing medical students from the Faculty of Medicine, Rangsit University, in years 4, 5, and 6.
2. The Foundation for the Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medical Services-Rangsit University, was established to fund joint medical training operations. Rangsit University contributed an initial amount of 1 million Baht to establish the foundation.
3. Revenue from 4^th, 5^th and 6^th-year medical students, collected from credit fees and other activities related to medical education, shall be transferred to the foundation annually.
4. Rangsit University allocated funds to support the development of faculty members for the foundation, totaling 2 million baht in the academic year 1993.
5. Rangsit University contributed a building and office equipment for the Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medical Services-Rangsit University. The building was constructed at Rajavithi Hospital according to the plans provided by the Department of Medical Services, with a total construction budget of 60 million Baht.
6. The total number of medical students admitted each year shall not exceed 72 students per class, or as deemed appropriate by the Education Policy and Management Committee and the Committee for Training and Education of Medical Students.

On September 12, 1996, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of the Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medical Services-Rangsit University building. Rangsit University constructed the building, naming it the “Prasit Ourairat Building,” and officially opened it on October 5, 1998, for educational purposes and as a dormitory for students. Additionally, on May 1, 2002, the name was changed from the Faculty of Medicine, Rangsit University, to the College of Medicine, Rangsit University.

The Ministry of University Affairs authorized the implementation of the Doctor of Medicine program (6-year curriculum) starting from the first semester of the 1989 academic year. The plan for student intake from 1989 to 1995 was as follows:

Academic year 1989 – 1990: 48 students per year

Academic year 1991 – 1992: 56 students per year

Academic year 1995: 90 students

Starting from the academic year 1996, the College of Medicine at Rangsit University received approval to increase the intake of medical students to 100 students per year until the academic year 2013. Additionally, a collaborative unit for clinical teaching was established at Lerdsin Hospital, accommodating an additional 30 medical students allocated to this hospital. Subsequently, on July 23, 2015, an agreement was made with Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital to establish another collaborative unit for clinical teaching, further enhancing the medical education program.

Currently, the College of Medicine at Rangsit University has entered into a collaborative agreement with the Department of Medical Services and Rangsit University to produce clinical physicians. Three institutions are involved in this collaboration.

March 15, 1994 – Between the Department of Medical Services and Faculty of Medicine, Rangsit University

September 28, 2011 – Lerdsin Hospital

July 23, 2015 – Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital

The collaboration between the private sector and the government at the pre-clinical level of education at the Faculty of Science, Rangsit University, a leading private university in the country, has been operational for 33 years. It has consistently received very high ratings for educational quality assurance from the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA) for two consecutive years. The clinical level of education is conducted at Rajavithi Hospital, Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, and Lerdsin Hospital. The Rajavithi Hospital, a significant regional hospital under the Ministry of Public Health, has a large number of patients and a highly skilled medical staff. It has been ranked as the best hospital in the Ministry of Public Health.

The Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health has expertise in various branches of pediatric care, being a high-level institution that develops its service systems to meet regional or higher standards. It also develops various medical center systems and consults with all sources at the regional level, including Lerdsin Hospital, which is a center of excellence in orthopedic surgery and orthopedics under the Department of Medical Services. This includes field training at general hospitals and community hospitals in both the public and private sectors. The collaboration between the private and public sectors has been consistently good, and the curriculum has passed the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) standards twice. Graduates can practice and serve society nationwide, both in the public and private sectors, and to further their studies to become specialists in various fields, in accordance with the institution’s mission.

First Instance (Curriculum 2012): Certification period from February 17, 2017, to February 16, 2022.

Second Instance (Curriculum 2019): Certification period until 2024.