About

We Are On Mission

GPSF is a US registered 501(c)(3) entity that engages in advocacy, education, programs, and events that advance the health of Ghanaians in Ghana and the North American diaspora.

We Work Together

At GPSF, we believe that collaboration is key to achieving our mission. Together with healthcare professionals, volunteers, and community members, we strive to improve healthcare standards and accessibility in Ghana and beyond.

35+

Permanent Licenses Issued

20+

Years Experience

300+

Members

We Work Hard

Public Health Initiatives

We design and implement public health initiatives that span the gamut from advocacy to education and awareness campaigns. We also lead other programs/projects that improve the health of Ghanaians in Ghana and North America.

Professional Programs

We host professional development programs including continuing medical education, our annual conference, and webinars. We also provide formal mentoring to young medical professionals and assist with opportunities for program exchange and professional development to medical trainees both in North America and Ghana.

Networking Forums

We offer opportunities for members to network at both the national and local chapter level, allowing for peer support and opportunities to expand their professional network.

We Have History

Mandate:

The Ghana Physicians and Surgeons Foundation of North America (GPSF or the Foundation) was established to support the mission of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS or the College) which was founded by an Act of Parliament in 2002 to provide quality postgraduate medical training in Ghana. It also serves as an advocacy group to influence health policy and educate the general public about various health care issues in Ghana and Africa. The Foundation supports member-led non-profit health missions and initiatives in Ghana.

Founding History:

 GPSF was founded in 2002 following an exploratory visit by Professor Nyame, first Rector of the newly created GCPS, to the United States to meet with an ad hoc group of U.S.-based Ghanaian physician leaders to discuss how North America-based Ghanaian physicians could support and collaborate with the College. GPSF was subsequently registered as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, allowing expenses related to membership, meetings, and donations to be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The initial meeting for the Foundation was held at the Ghana Embassy in Washington, DC and attended by Dr. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei (New York), founding president of GPSF, Professor Kwaku Ohene–Frempong (Pennsylvania), Dr. Alex Twum-Boafo (New York), Professor Thad Ulzen (North Carolina), and Dr. Kwasi Debra (District of Columbia), among others. Plans were put in motion for the first GPSF conference which occurred the following year at the Ghana Embassy. Over the past twenty plus years, annual CME conferences have been held in different regions of the USA, but most frequently in Atlanta, GA, a central location that is easier to access.

Meeting Our Mandate:

From its inception, GPSF has been fulfilling its core mission of assisting the GCPS to provide quality postgraduate training for healthcare professionals in Ghana. Key areas of GPSF assistance have included providing subscriptions to world class medical journals, provision of online educational tools and teaching materials to the GCPS and all medical colleges in Ghana. GPSF members proudly volunteer their time and resources to work in hospitals in Ghana or serve as visiting faculty at the various medical schools.

GPSF collaborates with the GCPS for the annual Medical Knowledge Fiesta, a highly popular CME event open to all physicians practicing in Ghana, postgraduate medical trainees, GPSF members, and the general public. GPSF members play key roles in planning the Fiesta and participate by providing both in-person and virtual lectures and workshops.

GPSF in collaboration with GCPS and in partnership with Ghana Medical and Dental Council have established a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to allow GPSF members to register for permanent licensure at a discounted rate, creating more opportunities for our members to contribute to medical education in Ghana. GPSF and GCPS continue to find new ways to partner to advance the mission of both organizations for the good of our homeland Ghana.

We Are a Team

Meet our executive board members

Francisca Abanyie, MD, MPH

President

Medical School: Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Residency: St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children

Fellowship: Emory University School of Medicine

Speciality: Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Current Employment: Medical Epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Akwasi Amponsah, MD

President-Elect

Medical School: Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Residency: Anesthesiology

Fellowship: Interventional Pain Medicine

Speciality: Anesthesia & Pain Management

Current Employment: Rutgers-NJ Med School

Ernestina French, MD, MPH

Vice President

Medical School: Perelman School of Medicine-University of Pennsylvania

Residency: Atrium Health, Charlotte NC

Speciality: Family Medicine

Current Employment: Family physician, Buford GA

Louisa Lawson, MD

Treasurer

Medical School: University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana

Residency: University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS

Speciality: Pediatrics

Current Employment: Peace Children’s Clinic, Jackson and Clinton, MS

Michael Mensah-Mamfo

Young Professionals President

Medical School: Duke University School of Medicine

Ellen Odoom

Administrative Assistant

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