Developing a Family Medicine Postgraduate Training Program in Zambia.
Jim Sanders1, Fastone Goma, Elliot Kafumukache
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin.
Family Medicine
|July 30, 2016
Summary
Zambia launched its first postgraduate family medicine program to address health demands. This initiative provides a model for other African nations facing similar healthcare challenges.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Public Health
- Family Medicine
Background:
- Family medicine programs are emerging across Africa to meet escalating health demands.
- Zambia, like many sub-Saharan African nations, faces significant health challenges with limited capacity.
- This paper details the establishment of Zambia's inaugural postgraduate family medicine training program.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the process and outcomes of initiating Zambia's first postgraduate family medicine program.
- To share lessons learned that may benefit other academic medical institutions in the region.
Main Methods:
- Developing a logistical framework for the program.
- Conducting regional site visits and building stakeholder consensus.
- Defining family medicine within the Zambian context and developing a curriculum.
Main Results:
- Successfully restructured the medical school's organization.
- Achieved budget reconciliation and recruited initial teaching faculty.
- Established foundational elements for the new postgraduate program.
Conclusions:
- Zambia's experience in establishing a family medicine program offers valuable insights for regional academic institutions.
- Key challenges include securing suitable teaching facilities and ensuring faculty recruitment and retention.
- The program aims to enhance Zambia's capacity to address its pressing health needs.
