15 research outputs found
Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians
Responding to critical shortages of physicians, most sub-Saharan countries have scaled up training of nonphysician
clinicians (NPCs), resulting in a gradual but decisive shift to NPCs as the cornerstone of healthcare
delivery. This development should unfold in parallel with strategic rethinking about the role of physicians
and with innovations in physician education and in-service training. In important ways, a growing number of
NPCs only renders physicians more necessary – for example, as specialized healthcare providers and as leaders,
managers, mentors, and public health administrators. Physicians in sub-Saharan Africa ought to be trained in
all of these capacities. This evolution in the role of physicians may also help address known challenges to the
successful integration of NPCs in the health syste
Health Professional Training and Capacity Strengthening Through International Academic Partnerships: The First Five Years of the Human Resources for Health Program in Rwanda
Abstract
Background: The Rwanda Human Resources for Health Program (HRH Program) is a 7-year (2012-2019) health
professional training initiative led by the Government of Rwanda with the goals of training a large, diverse, and competent
health workforce and strengthening the capacity of academic institutions in Rwanda.
Methods: The data for this organizational case study was collected through official reports from the Rwanda Ministry of
Health (MoH) and 22 participating US academic institutions, databases from the MoH and the College of Medicine and
Health Sciences (CMHS) in Rwanda, and surveys completed by the co-authors.
Results: In the first 5 years of the HRH Program, a consortium of US academic institutions has deployed an average of 99
visiting faculty per year to support 22 training programs, which are on track to graduate almost 4600 students by 2019.
The HRH Program has also built capacity within the CMHS by promoting the recruitment of Rwandan faculty and the
establishment of additional partnerships and collaborations with the US academic institutions.
Conclusion: The milestones achieved by the HRH Program have been substantial although some challenges persist.
These challenges include adequately supporting the visiting faculty; pairing them with Rwandan faculty (twinning);
ensuring strong communication and coordination among stakeholders; addressing mismatches in priorities between
donors and implementers; the execution of a sustainability strategy; and the decision by one of the donors not to renew
funding beyond March 2017. Over the next 2 academic years, it is critical for the sustainability of the 22 training programs
supported by the HRH Program that the health-related Schools at the CMHS significantly scale up recruitment of new
Rwandan faculty. The HRH Program can serve as a model for other training initiatives implemented in countries affected
by a severe shortage of health professionals
Non-physician Clinicians in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Evolving Role of Physicians
Responding to critical shortages of physicians, most sub-Saharan countries have scaled up training of non-physician clinicians (NPCs), resulting in a gradual but decisive shift to NPCs as the cornerstone of healthcare delivery. This development should unfold in parallel with strategic rethinking about the role of physicians and with innovations in physician education and in-service training. In important ways, a growing number of NPCs only renders physicians more necessary - for example, as specialized healthcare providers and as leaders, managers, mentors, and public health administrators. Physicians in sub-Saharan Africa ought to be trained in all of these capacities. This evolution in the role of physicians may also help address known challenges to the successful integration of NPCs in the health system
Maximizing the Impact of Training Initiatives for Health Professionals in Low-Income Countries: Frameworks, Challenges, and Best Practices
Corrado Cancedda and colleagues outline a framework for health professional training initiatives in low-income countries
Maximizing the Impact of Training Initiatives for Health Professionals in Low-Income Countries: Frameworks, Challenges, and Best Practices
Corrado Cancedda and colleagues outline a framework for health professional training initiatives in low-income countries
Current framework and practices for training initiatives aimed at increasing health professionals in low-income countries.
<p>Current framework and practices for training initiatives aimed at increasing health professionals in low-income countries.</p
Proposed new framework and practices for training initiatives aimed at health professionals in low-income countries.
<p>Proposed new framework and practices for training initiatives aimed at health professionals in low-income countries.</p