Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons Welcomes 33 New Resident Doctors for 2026/2027 Academic Year
The Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons (LCPS) today officially welcomed 33 newly admitted resident doctors during a one-day orientation program marking the start of the 2026/2027 academic year.
The orientation, held at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFK) Lobby in Monrovia, brought together officials of the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons, faculty chairs, representatives of the JFK Medical Center administration, and the incoming resident doctors.
The orientation was designed to prepare the new residents for the rigorous postgraduate medical training program by introducing them to the College’s mission, vision, and mandate. Participants also received an overview of the residency training structure, academic and professional expectations, assessment and examination requirements, residents’ rights and responsibilities, institutional policies, and the support systems available throughout their training.
The program further encouraged collaboration, teamwork, and professional networking among the new residents as they begin their journey toward becoming specialist physicians.
Delivering the welcome remarks, the Assistant Secretary-General of LCPS congratulated the new residents on their successful admission and encouraged them to approach their training with discipline, professionalism, and a commitment to excellence in patient care.
Providing an overview of the College, LCPS Secretary-General Dr. Philderald Pratt highlighted the history and steady growth of the residency training program since its establishment. He underscored the College’s significant contribution to strengthening Liberia’s healthcare system through the training of highly skilled medical specialists.
Dr. Pratt noted that the College has graduated 155 medical specialists, many of whom are now serving in hospitals and health institutions across Liberia and beyond. He also highlighted the expansion of residency training across multiple medical specialties and the College’s continued commitment to academic excellence and quality clinical training.
“Our graduates are transforming healthcare delivery and strengthening the nation’s health system,” Dr. Pratt emphasized.
Faculty Chairs and representatives of the John F. Kennedy Medical Center also addressed the incoming residents, encouraging them to embrace the values of professionalism, lifelong learning, ethical practice, and compassionate patient care throughout their residency.
The Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons currently has 85 resident doctors enrolled across ten specialty programs: Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Community Health, Ophthalmology, Anesthesiology, and Radiology.
The orientation officially marked the beginning of the residents’ specialist training, reinforcing LCPS’s mission of producing competent physicians who will continue to improve healthcare delivery and advance medical education in Liberia.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
West African College of Physicians Conducts Accreditation Exercise for Community Health Residency Program in Liberia.
Monrovia, Liberia – June 19, 2026 – In a significant boost to Liberia’s efforts to strengthen specialist medical education and build a resilient healthcare workforce, a delegation of three Professors from the West African College of Physicians (WACP) has concluded a two-day accreditation mission to assess the Faculty of Community Health of the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons (LCPS).
The visit, conducted as part of WACP’s regional mandate to uphold quality standards in postgraduate medical education, focused on evaluating the progress and capacity of the Community Health residency training program in Liberia, one of ten specialist training faculties operated by LCPS.
The visiting delegation, led by WACP Accrediting Officer Professor Hadiza Agbo, arrived in Liberia on June 17, 2026, at the invitation of the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in collaboration with the LCPS. The mission was undertaken to assess improvements made since the program’s last accreditation review in 2023 and determine its readiness for full accreditation.
The Community Health residency training program is currently hosted at Redemption Hospital under the auspices of the John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFKMC), Liberia’s premier teaching and referral institution.
During an inception meeting with the administration of JFKMC, Professor Agbo emphasized that the visit underscores WACP’s commitment to promoting excellence in postgraduate medical education across West Africa. Accompanied by LCPS Assistant Secretary-General Dr. Benetta Andrews, the delegation engaged hospital administrators, faculty members, and resident physicians while conducting a comprehensive assessment of key clinical and training facilities, including the Chest Clinic, Pediatric Ward, Maternal Ward, and Vaccination Unit at the Redemption Hospital in New Kru Town as well as the simulation lab at the JFKMC.
The delegation subsequently met with the leadership of LCPS, headed by its President, Professor John K. Mulbah, to present preliminary observations and recommendations. Professor Agbo commended the College for the notable progress achieved in strengthening its training programs, expanding institutional capacity, and advancing specialist medical education in Liberia.
She encouraged continued investments and improvements to position the Community Health residency program for full accreditation. Among the recommendations advanced were measures aimed at strengthening institutional resources, expanding practical training opportunities, and enhancing access to learning tools and clinical experiences for resident physicians.
Responding to the delegation’s findings, Professor Mulbah welcomed the assessment and expressed appreciation for WACP’s continued support and guidance.
“We are grateful to the West African College of Physicians for its enduring partnership and commitment to advancing specialist medical education in Liberia,” Professor Mulbah said. “The recommendations provided will further strengthen our training programs and contribute to the development of highly skilled specialists
capable of meeting the healthcare needs of our people. We remain fully committed to implementing these recommendations as expeditiously as possible.”
The accreditation exercise highlights the remarkable progress Liberia has made in rebuilding its specialist healthcare workforce over the past decade. From a baseline of approximately 15 specialist physicians nationwide in 2013, LCPS has successfully trained 155 specialist doctors across multiple disciplines, significantly expanding the country’s capacity to deliver quality healthcare services.
Meanwhile, the College is expected to graduate an additional cohort of specialists during its landmark 10th Convocation Ceremony scheduled for September 2026, marking another important milestone in Liberia’s journey toward health sector self-sufficiency.
As Liberia continues to invest in postgraduate medical education and specialist training, the outlook for the country’s healthcare system remains increasingly promising. Through strong regional partnerships, sustained institutional development, and a growing cadre of highly trained specialists, Liberia is steadily building the human resource capacity required to meet the evolving health needs of its population.
About the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons
The Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons is Liberia’s premier postgraduate medical training institution, established to train specialist physicians and strengthen the nation’s healthcare system. The College currently operates ten residency training faculties and remains at the forefront of efforts to develop a highly skilled specialist workforce for Liberia and the region.
END
The Liberian College of Physicians and Surgeons (LCPS) welcomes another new cohort of residents during its orientation program held on Friday, August 1, 2025, at the JFK medical center.
This orientation brought together medical doctors from across the country to acquire training in diverse medical specialties in the Faculties of Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Community Health, Radiology, Psychiatry, and Anesthesiology. Classes officially commence on Monday, August 4, 2025.
The We-Care Foundation Incorporated in collaboration with the Book Aid International on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, made a donation of 57 cartoons of assorted medical books as its way of contributing towards high-level medical education in Liberia. The donation was presented by its Executive Director, Mr. T. Michael Weah. Receiving the donation of behalf of the College was the Secretary General, Dr. Philderald Pratt.
Dr. Pratt cherished the We-Care foundation for the donation and said that this contribution will go a long way in providing reading materials to the various faculties. Speaking on behalf of the College President, Prof. John K. Mulbah, Dr. Pratt appreciated WE-CARE FOUNDATION and said that this initiative was timely and will be very impactful for the Residents in-training at the College. Mr. Weah was accompany by Prof. Benjamin Harris and Mr. Hne S. Russell.
Acceptance Speech Delivered by
H.E. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.
As the 2024 Honorary Fellow Inductee
At the 8th Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons at the
EJS Ministerial Complex, Oldest Congo Town
Friday, September 13, 2024
Honorable Keynote Speaker, Professor Emmanuel R. Ezeome;
President James K. Mulbah, Officials and Members of the Council of the Liberia College of Physicians & Surgeons;
Honorable Members of the Legislature Present;
Members of the Cabinet;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Visiting College Presidents of Sister Colleges in the Sub-region;
Local Institutions Represented;
Esteemed Guest;
Members of the Fourth Estate;
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am as deeply honored and humbled to receive this prestigious honorary Fellowship from your reputable Institution as I am highly delighted to be in your midst for this historic ceremony today.
In 2012, the Legislature passed an act establishing the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons to produce skilled medical specialists to deliver health services effectively and efficiently by demonstrating the highest standard of medical excellence.
As one of the youngest postgraduate colleges in the sub-region, the college is expected to provide all secondary and tertiary hospitals in our country with the necessary medical specialties to treat all types of medical conditions.
Additionally, the college is expected to support ongoing professional development in medicine, surgery, and related fields while also promoting high standards of professional practice, ethics, and morals among doctors in Liberia.
I am deeply grateful to Professor Mulbah, the Executive Council, Fellows, and Members of LCPS for honoring and recognizing me. This Fellowship symbolizes the collective efforts of all those who have supported and encouraged us in our journey to establish this Institution as a Law.
I want to also express my gratitude to the members of the Legislature who supported the passage of the Act that established the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons over a decade ago. I want to note that this achievement occurred during my time serving as President of the Liberian Senate, which was facilitated by my position as Vice President of the Republic.
Today, Liberia can proudly claim to have locally trained specialists. Liberian specialists are now working at Phebe Hospital in Bong County, Jackson F. Doe Hospital in Nimba County, J.J. Dossen Hospital in Maryland, and Emirate Hospital in Gbarpolu, among others.
I have been made aware of your expressed desire to have specialist doctors who have completed postgraduate training to be re-classified. We see this as a reasonable request for your institution to consider, and I assure you that my administration will thoroughly examine the matter. The recruitment of visiting faculty to support LCPS is not a sustainable endeavor. We need to be more innovative and think outside the box.
We need to be aware of the reality that the long-term success of the College depends on investing in Liberian faculty. Currently, only 25% of the Faculty Chairs are Liberian, and we need to change this.
To ensure the College’s sustainability, we must train and retain more Liberian specialists who are interested in academia in the various training hospitals across the country.
I want to emphasize the importance of empowering and enriching this institution so that it can have a significant impact on our healthcare system.
As the original founding partner and longtime supporter of this Institution, my increasing support is unwavering. I hope that my fellowship will encourage all of us to renew our commitment to helping the institution reach its full potential.
I assure you that my Government will spare no efforts in seeking partnerships to improve our health sector, especially in the training and deployment of healthcare practitioners.
I call upon all of you to rise to this occasion by upping our resolve to THINK LIBERIA, LOVE LIBERIA so that we can together BUILD LIBERIA. Only with such a collective approach to searching for a shared vision can we actualize these noble dreams.
God bless us all and save the State!
The Executives of the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons paid a courtesy call on the President of the Republic of Liberia, H.E Joseph Nyumah Boakai. During said visit, the President of the College Professor Dr. John K. Mulbah, briefed President Boakai on the current status, achievements, challenges and the way forward of the College. The Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons is the flagship institution of the Government of Liberia where specialized Doctors are trained locally. President Boakai who served as the Chief Launcher of the College during his tenure as Vice President welcomed the Executives and promised to prioritize postgraduate medical training as according to him, the importance of a vibrant health sector could not be overemphasized!
