Research methods workshop for health professionals in Sierra Leone: an international collaborative project

In 1979 a research methods seminar for health professionals in Sierra Leone was conducted as part of an international medical education collaborative project between Sierra Leone, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community. The aim of the seminar was to promote research and inquiry into national health problems. Planning and administration was conducted by Sierra Leone with Canada providing teaching materials and four tutors. Twenty-seven participants attended the seminar. Participants prepared research protocols prior to the seminar which they developed and refined during the 7 days of the workshop. Using a problem-based method Sierra Leonean health problems were used as the focus to teach epidemiological and biostatistical methods. The seminar was evaluated on the basis of a number of parameters. There was 89% attendance at the nineteen sessions. Twenty-one of the twenty-seven participants presented protocols at the final evaluation session. Self-evaluation of protocols showed improvement in most aspects but particularly in research design, methods of data gathering, analysis and ethical aspects. An opinion survey of participants showed the seminar to be viewed positively. Twelve months later six participants had submitted their protocols for funding of whom four were successful. A further seminar has been conducted in which Sierra Leoneans participated as co-tutors. This seminar format has been presented as an effective means of providing professional assistance from one country to another.