Building communities of practice: MEPI creates a commons

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Medical Education
• International Collaboration

Background:

• The Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) aims to strengthen medical education in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• MEPI involves over 40 African and 20 US medical institutions.
• Since 2011, the MEPI Coordinating Center has facilitated the development of communities of practice (CoPs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the structure and components of MEPI's communities of practice.
• To highlight the role of the MEPI Coordinating Center in fostering collaboration.
• To assess the value of these collaborative structures for future medical education and research.

Main Methods:

• The study outlines the seven components of MEPI CoPs.
• These components include virtual and tangible elements like technical working groups, site visit exchanges, symposia, a journal supplement, website, newsletters, and webinars.
• The MEPI Coordinating Center's role as a catalyst is described.

Main Results:

• MEPI has established robust communities of practice involving numerous institutions.
• The CoPs utilize a diverse range of collaborative tools and activities.
• These initiatives aim to build capacity, promote retention, and support research.

Conclusions:

• MEPI's communities of practice are a significant asset for medical education in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Despite challenges like sustainability, the collaborative framework is expected to yield long-term benefits.
• The initiative demonstrates the value of organized collaboration in global health education and research.