National University Hospital receives Ministry of Education approval as a training center for health practices

The Intersectoral Commission for Human Talent in Health (CITHS), representing the Ministry of National Education, granted a favorable opinion to the National University Hospital of Colombia (HUN) as a training practice site.

The endorsement was issued on May 13. Photo: iStock
This endorsement, issued on May 13, officially recognizes that HUN meets the standards of quality, relevance, and safety required for academic healthcare training, thus consolidating a key step toward its certification as a university hospital.
The evaluation was conducted on March 12th and included the participation of an academic peer appointed by the Ministry, as well as representatives from the National University of Colombia (UNAL) and the HUN itself. The final report highlighted the institutional conditions as an optimal environment for the academic, clinical, and research development of students.
For Dr. Óscar Alonso Dueñas Araque, Director General of HUN, "this endorsement represents an institutional milestone, a fundamental step toward our certification as a university hospital, and comes after obtaining Health Accreditation, one of the essential requirements for this application. This achievement is the result of a joint effort between the Hospital and the National University to guarantee safe, humane, and high-quality education."

The report highlighted the institutional conditions for academic development. Photo: iStock
Along the same lines, Professor José Fernando Galván, Dean of the UNAL School of Medicine, emphasized that " this recognition is the result of collaborative work with all of the University's health-related faculties , as it validates our ability to offer quality, well-being, and relevant practices. It strengthens both training and research and innovation in health."
From the HUN's Education and Knowledge Management Department, its leader, Claudia Guzmán, emphasized that "the practice environment is crucial to the quality of the training process. This endorsement motivates us to consolidate a model that integrates clinical, academic, and research excellence with national impact."
Training with national impact Currently, the HUN coordinates 42 health training programs with the UNAL and the Sena, including 24 medical postgraduate programs , postgraduate programs in Nursing, Dentistry and Basic Sciences, as well as undergraduate internships in Medicine, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition, Psychology, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Speech Therapy.

In 2024, more than 6,600 students completed their internships at HUN. Photo: Courtesy
In addition, she receives practical training in technological programs from SENA, such as Pharmacy Regency and Management of Administrative Processes in Health , along with the Nursing Assistant technical program.
In 2024, more than 6,600 students from these institutions completed their internships at HUN , reaffirming its role as a strategic setting for the training of healthcare talent in Colombia.
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