Senior Volunteers Programme: a visit to Zambia

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• International Health
• Medical Education

Background:

• The Royal College of Psychiatrists' Board of International Affairs identified a need for structured international psychiatric teaching support.
• A preceding year of discussion and subgroup planning led to the program's inception.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a formal program for deploying senior British psychiatrists to provide specialized teaching globally.
• To act as an intermediary, connecting international requests for psychiatric expertise with available senior professionals.

Main Methods:

• Initiated the Senior Volunteers Programme in 2004.
• Established a database of psychiatrists offering diverse skills.
• Facilitated communication between international entities and British experts.

Main Results:

• Successfully matched international requests for psychiatric teaching with qualified senior psychiatrists.
• Developed a system for managing and fulfilling global educational needs in psychiatry.

Conclusions:

• The Senior Volunteers Programme effectively addresses international psychiatric education needs.
• The program's success relies on meticulous planning and execution in managing expert deployment.