Sep 20, 2026
2 min read
Two members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Medical Corps have emerged as the top performers in the Ministry of Health’s recently concluded Orthopaedic Technician Training Programme, giving the Force a double podium finish.
Sergeant (SGT) Bernald Rudder, a Grade 1 Medical Assistant, was named valedictorian after securing first place, while Corporal (CPL) Desmond Pompey, a Grade 2 Medical Assistant, placed second and was named salutatorian.
The pair was recognized by the GDF as they also dominated the programme’s individual awards. SGT Rudder captured the Best Theory award, while CPL Pompey was recognised for Best Practical.
The year-long programme equipped the participants with specialised skills in fracture management and imaging, patient immobilisation, theatre preparation and the application of Plaster-of-Paris (POP) and fibreglass materials.
Their training extended beyond the classroom, with clinical rotations through the orthopaedic clinic, operating theatre and POP room, exposing them to the practical management of orthopaedic injuries. They also observed procedures including hip replacement and tibial plateau surgery, broadening their understanding of surgical care and treatment.
For SGT Rudder, the training represented an opportunity to build on experience already gained in the field.
He said, “Working at the Medical Centre prepared me well. Much of the training built on knowledge and experience I had already gained, while allowing me to develop those skills in a specialised area.”
CPL Pompey completed the programme while simultaneously undertaking Grade 2 Medical Assistant training with the GDF Medical Corps.
The new qualification gives both ranks the ability to immobilise and stabilise fractures and other injuries using POP and fibreglass materials, adding an important specialised capability to the GDF’s medical services.
The GDF said that the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) currently supports the Force in orthopaedic care, and with two of its medical personnel now specially trained in this area, it has greater capacity to manage certain injuries internally while providing an additional layer of medical support to its personnel.
Beyond the individual achievement, the GDF said the results represent a strengthening of the Force’s Medical Corps’ specialised capabilities, ensuring that trained personnel can bring orthopaedic expertise directly to the care of injured members of the Force.
