Dr. Pablo Pulido
Executive DirectorPanAmerican Federation of Associations of Medical Schools, Caracas
Former Minister of Health and Social Welfare of Venezuela
Founder-Director Centro Médico Docente
La Trinidad, Caracas.
President Metropolitan University Foundation, Caracas.
Pablo A. Pulido M.D., is a Venezuelan physician, specialty in cardiology - internal medicine with training and education in basic sciences, i.e., physiology, biochemistry and biophysics, that has created developed and managed health care delivery and teaching institutions. In Higher Education, has participated in the dynamic evolution of a leading Technical University in Caracas. In Public Policy as Minister of Health and Social Welfare initiated the restructuring of the Ministry and the Decentralization of operations towards the States. In International Medical Education as the Executive Director of the Panamerican Federation of Associations of Medical School, PAFAMS has focused on the modernization and involvement of Medical Schools in Health Care Reforms using the new information technology, management and curricular updating as basic instruments.
Education
Medical Degree, Thesis Cum Laude, National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM, 1959.
Undergraduate activities included working at the General Hospital of Mexico, Unit of Pathology; the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology of the National Institute of Cardiology of Mexico; and a Social and Community service in a rural community of the State of Mexico, near Texcoco where a basic school and nursery was established as a result of this work.
Medical Degree, Central University of Venezuela, UCV, 1960 .
M.Sc. Degree in Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, 1966.
Post-Graduate training and experience
Research Fellow in Physiology and Pharmacology, National Institute of Cardiology, Mexico,1959-60
Research Fellow in Medicine, Biophysics Research Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, 1962-66
Research Assistant in Medicine, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston, 1962-63
Assistant in Medicine, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, 1963-67
Special Graduate Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Biology, MIT, 1966
Research Associate in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 1966-67
Professional experience
University & Higher Education
In 1967 returned to Caracas where he was Instructor at Central University of Venezuela, Dept. of Physiological Sciences, and worked as a member of the Basic Sciences Department as Assistant and Aggregate Ass. Professor through 1973, engaged in teaching and research activities.
In 1969-70 became a member of the Planning Group for the Simón Bolívar University and the first Director of its Division of Biological Sciences.
Participated in the creation (1970) and development of a leading Private Technology oriented University, the Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas, becoming a member of the Board of Governors since the very inception as well as a Director of the Metropolitan University Foundation (1970), the owner of the Campus and facilities, and subsequently Treasurer (1977) and President since 1980. The Metropolitan University Foundation through its investment fund has developed a Campus in Caracas that houses 5000 students, in a land of some 95 hectares and has constructed around 60 thousand square meters of teaching buildings and laboratories oriented to contribute in preparing the needed manpower for the development of the Country in the areas of Management, Engineering and Education.
Health Care & Education Innovative Institutions
In 1973 started to devote a major effort to the creation of La Trinidad Teaching Medical Center / Centro Médico Docente La Trinidad, a new private, non profit academic, non governmental modern teaching medical facility and center in Caracas, as a co-founder and first General Director.
Through developing La Trinidad Teaching Medical Center as an innovative health care, research oriented and Educational Institution became VicePresident (1974-80) and President (1981-93). The
strategic plan called also for the development in 1989 of a Business Unit, i.e., becoming President of the Inversora Centro Cientifico La Trinidad, to blend health care, research and educational efforts with the realistic economical needs of the project.
Through La Trinidad Teaching Medical Center, The Foundation for Scientific Education in charge of Continuing Medical Education was created in 1981 in which Dr. Pablo Pulido served as the first President, an effort that by now has coordinated and promoted more than 700 courses and other educational activities, jointly and in strategic alliances with the Medical & Specialty Societies both nationally and internationally.
Dr. Pablo Pulido has been Board Director (1967-75) and President (1976) of the Children's Orthopedic Hospital, a model 100 bed Private and not for profit Foundational Facility that contributed initially to the erradication of Polio in Venezuela and now serves as a referral center for children's locomotive and neuromuscular disorders.
Public Policies
As Minister of Health and Social Welfare ( 1993-94 ) he fostered the Decentralization Process creating the framework to empower the States to run and manage their own Health Facilities Structure, keeping an informational liaison with the Central Office of the Ministry who's role continues to be the Rector of Health in Venezuela. A transition period is needed where the Education and reengineering of the Human Resources is to emphasize a culture of Cost Control vs Expenses Reports. During this period the urgent Structural Reform of the Ministry in the Administration and Operations was developed and partially initiated with the support of the Multilateral Banks, thus supporting a change of focus from working with the Hospitals to the Ambulatory Network. Relationships with the Pharmaceutical Industry both National and International, were geared to coordinate efforts to promote the knowledge, distribution and use of essential and generic medications, a program that had a special support from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO.
Serves as member of the National Health Council created in 1994 by a Presidential Decree as an Adivisory Council to the President and the Minister of Health in critical Health Issues of the Country.
In the area of Science and Technology Policies, served as a member of the National Council of Science and Technology in two different periods, 1972-78 and 1978-81-84.
International Medical Education
Executive Director (1982- ) of the Panamerican Federation of Associations of Medical Schools, a network of some 359 Medical Schools in the Hemisphere, PAFAMS-FEPAFEM, included in 12 National Associations and individually affiliated Institutions. Programs ranging from improving quality and standards in the field to the impact and participation of the Information Revolution pertaining to Health, developing countries databases as well as highlighting studies on Social and Community Service in Medical Education and Professional Practice.
Member of the Task Force Health Informatics-2000, sponsored by the Inter American Development Bank and PAHO to improve and use information technology and systems in Health Care and Medical Education. A pilot program of distant education is currently developed in Venezuela, i.e., a Health Virtual Education System to strengthen Health Services and Medical Education Manpower through Institutional, Professional and Community participation.
Has published scientific papers in the area of Biochemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Molecular Biology of Parasites, Medical Education Issues, and Health Policies.
Holds a number of National and International Affiliations, including The Global Advisory Board of Jefferson University in Philadelphia, the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University and the Psoriasis Research Institute Foundation, in Palo Alto, California.
Pablo A. Pulido M. was born in San Antonio, Táchira State, Venezuela on January 6th 1936, and is married with 6 children and 12 grandchildren.
Institute for International Medical Education.
Unauthorized reproduction strictly prohibited.