Doctors Hospital Celebrates Graduates, Expands Vision For Allied Healthcare

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NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS – From the halls of Doctors Hospital Institute of Learning, the class of 2025 and 2026 stepped proudly into the spotlight recently at Grace Community Church. For the institute, this was more than a ceremony – it’s a commitment to closing the gaps in education and preparing the next generation of Bahamian healthcare professionals.

Our Evlynn Ferguson reports.

After years of growth, Doctors Hospital Institute of Learning is charting an even wider course, broadening its programs and tackling the many opportunities in allied healthcare.

Officials say it’s a vision that speaks to determination and ambition, laying the groundwork for what comes next.

“At our Institute of Learning, some five years ago, we segued from what we had, the organizational learning, into now our Institute of Learning, and we extended the scope of our offerings, and the next iteration will see us extending that scope even more. There’s so many opportunities in the Allied healthcare space that we know that we probably will not get to filling them all, but we’re going to make a really grand effort.” – Dr. Charles Diggis, President of Doctor’s Hospital

After the President’s reflections on the institute’s growth, keynote speaker and Minister of Labour and Public Service Pia Glover‑Rolle took the podium and turned to the nation’s pressing reality.

Underscoring how the shortage of healthcare workers is felt in hospitals, clinics, and across the family islands.

“Let me say, as a member of the government, your nation needs you. So we’re very grateful to you.The Bahamas is no secret, continues to face a shortage of healthcare professionals, and we face this in our labor surveys as well. We understand that there is a need for more healthcare professionals, especially in allied health. We feel it in our hospitals, in our clinics, those of us who have to visit, and of course, throughout our family islands.” – Pia Glover-Rolle

The minister also reminding graduates of the human side of healthcare, urging them to balance skill with compassion.

“You will carry burdens that are not your own. By the virtue of this profession. You will comfort people on some of the hardest days of their lives. Few professions are entrusted with such a sacred responsibility. So let your knowledge be matched by your kindness and your compassion. Let your competence be matched by your character. And let your professionalism always be matched by your compassion.”