Improvement of the Medical Education Situation in Sudan Collegectomy is Not the Only Management Option (original) (raw)
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Overview of the Course of Undergraduate Medical Education in the Sudan
Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences, 2019
Background: Sudan's experience with undergraduate Medical Education (UME) stated in 1924 with one school, currently there are about 66 medical schools. During this period many local and global socioeconomic events took place and molded UME. This study was set to document the course and influencing factors that shaped Sudanese UME. Methods: An extensive literature search was conducted, all the relevant articles and websites were accessed, hard copy documents were reviewed and personal communications with eminent Sudanese figures in the field were conducted. Results: Sudanese UME is meagerly documented and its history can be described in four phases. The establishment phase (1924-1974) one school was founded and it was influenced by the Flexner's era and Sudanese independence. The Provincial expansion phase (1975-1990) was influenced by Sudan's commitment to Al-Ma Ata recommendations and current educational innovations. Revolution in Higher Education (1991-2004,) led to mushrooming of public and private UME, was influenced by global trend in privatization and local sociopolitical turbulence. Quality assurance and accreditation phase (2005-2019) was influenced by contradicting local factors and strong international directions. Conclusion: Sudan's history and experience with UME is almost one century old during this time it experienced triumphs and setbacks. Numerous lessons were learned and can contribute to facing the challenges of UME here and beyond. After December Mighty Revolution which changed the old political regime, the country entered a transitional stage devoted to rebuilding and repair in all sectors including education. Studies such as this one will provide the needed data for reforming UME.
Medical education in Sudan: future perspectives
Journal of Public Health and Emergency
Being a large tropical African country, Sudan offers the Sudanese clinicians and researchers golden opportunities for research on different issues like communicable, non-communicable diseases, social and psychological sciences, in addition to medical education. With a history dating to 1924, medical education continues to evolve rapidly in Sudan. Despite its strengths and weaknesses, it had positive influences on the health system, locally and regionally (1). In this special issue, entitled "What the Future Holds for Medical Education in Sudan", we have tried to shed the light on different aspects of medical education in Sudan. For example, Diab et al. queried the capability of medical schools to provide a solution for health workforce imbalance through formal and hidden curricula. They thought that hidden curriculum devalues some specialities, and as long as it remains unopposed by the formal curriculum; students are driven away from these specialities. Moreover, although the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) highlighted the importance of formal career advice, it is still an area of noncompliance by medical schools. Innovations in medical education were made in 1975 when Professor Bashir Hamad introduced the concept of communityoriented medical education in Africa at Gezira University (2-5). The Faculty of Medicine, Gezira University (FMUG), has a long and pioneer reputation in community-oriented medical education. Therefore, it is not surprising that the FMUG can lead social accountability in Africa and the Middle East. A review article quantified ten unique features that will qualify FMUG to lead social accountability. This review also mentioned four potential areas of innovations that FMUG can adopt in social accountability. In a review article, Ahmed et al. discussed why doctors should consider a Ph.D. degree to be independent researchers and leaders in clinical research. They explained the benefits of research for the clinicians, patients, hospitals, medical schools and the community. In another narrative review entitled "Current and future clinical research in Sudan: an opportunity for everyone to choose research in medical education, communicable and non-communicable diseases", Ahmed and his co-authors proposed steps that will enhance and strengthen research in Sudan. Realizing that investing in research will help in keeping people well, and open new venues for health services in Sudan, they highly recommend that every doctor in Sudan should engage in research activities so that current and future patients can benefit from the outcomes of these research activities. During the pandemic of COVID-19, the appreciation and enthusiasm for research and medical teaching increased not only in Sudan but worldwide. However, the research output in Sudan was not to a satisfactory level. The challenges and barriers related to the culture and customs that influence the chance for men and women to participate in academic medicine in Sudan were highlighted in this special issue. Furthermore, possible solutions to overcome these problems at different levels (individuals, research teams, universities, government and the issue of perception and promotion of research culture) were suggested. Currently, the Sudan Medical Specialization Board (SMSB) is the only postgraduate body in Sudan for the training of medical doctors at the postgraduate level. In this special issue, the researchers proposed that SMSB offers an MD-Ph.D. programme at the postgraduate level with a duration of 6-7 years, with a Ph.D. in clinical epidemiology. They detailed the essential skills and features that are needed for a successful epidemiologist who will graduate from the Sudanese postgraduate programme of MD-Ph.D. The structure and the future directions of the graduates of the MD-Ph.D. programmes and how they can bring significant benefits for the conduction of research in Sudan were documented. Not exclusively, the MD-Ph.D. programme in Sudan will lead to the establishment of new generations of clinical scientists who will be able to shed light on the behaviour of different diseases in Sudan, including COVID-19, and how to apply appropriate strategies in management and prevention. The articles included in this special issue reflect the authors' viewpoints, opinions, or suggested ideas. As editors, we believe that the future holds a lot for medical education in Sudan through revised curricula, social accountability, and active engagement of clinicians in researching diverse areas according to the health system needs. This special issue is written in accordance with the Journal of Public Health and Emergency reporting guidelines.
Medical education in the Sudan: its strengths and weaknesses
Medical Teacher, 2007
The history of medical education in the Sudan is both long and interesting. It began in 1924 and has passed through several different phases and stages. Despite numerous difficulties and constraints along the way, vast experience has been gained and many achievements made, all of which have had positive impacts on the health system in the Sudan and the Region. This paper aims to share the experiences and lessons that have emerged from the journey of medical education in the Sudan, and explores the future need for continuing support and dialogue from international colleagues to maintain momentum.
Abstract Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) in Sudan started at the University of Khartoum with a postgraduate diploma in obstetrics in 1953. Following this, two other universities started providing such training: Gezira and Juba University. In 1995, the training was handed over to the Sudan Medical Specialisation Board. There is scarce research evaluating the quality of the training since the inauguration of PGME in Sudan. Permission to conduct the study was received from SMSB, and the study was reviewed and approved by the Sudanese National Technical Ethical Committee, (Certificate No. 2-12-2016). This study aimed at evaluating PGME in Sudan from stakeholder perspectives and at developing standards for improving the quality of the training. A mixed study (quantitative and qualitative) approach was used in this study by applying validated tools to evaluate the internal medicine programme in particular. The data were collected from the trainee residents (n = 189), trainers (n = 161), patients (n = 389), hospital directors (n = 6), deans of the colleges of medicines (n = 3), and representatives from the programme administration (n = 2) using surveys (for trainers and trainees). Interviews were conducted with hospital directors, deans of colleges of medicine, and programme directors, in addition to focus group discussions with the trainees (six rounds attended by 48 trainees). Further document analysis was performed to compare the curriculum, policies, and regulations with regional and international curricula and regulations. Moreover, a wiremen approach was used in the development of the standards. The statistical software used for quantitative data analysis was SPSS version 22.0 for Windows. Various descriptive statistics were employed, and coding and thematic analyses were performed to analyse the qualitative data. The preliminary data, including suggestions for improving the programme from stakeholders, were discussed with a panel of experts at the Sudan Medical Specialization Board. The evaluation revealed some strengths and areas that need improvement in the internal medicine programme, namely in the curriculum, delivery of the training, learning environment, and assessment of the trainees. Finally, the suggested standards were developed. It has been globally realised that high quality and safe patient care can only be provided if doctors are well prepared for this task through residency training, and thus the implementation of these standards could result in high quality and safe patient care.
BMC Medical Education
Medical educators are in a continuous quest to close the gap between the needs of medical practice and the rising expectations of the communities in their countries. During the past two decades, competency-based medical education has been evolving as an appealing strategy to close this gap. In 2017, the Egyptian medical education authorities mandated all medical schools to change their curricula to comply with revised national academic reference standards, which changed from outcome-based to competency-based. In parallel, they also changed the timeline of all medical programs for six years of studentship and one-year internship to five years and two years, respectively. This substantial reform involved the assessment of the existing situation, an awareness campaign for the proposed changes and an extensive national faculty development program. Monitoring the implementation of this substantial reform was performed through surveys, field visits and meetings with students, teaching sta...
Consolidating Medical Education in Sudan During War
Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences
Background: Providing quality medical education in Sudan faces challenges due to armed conflicts. This short communication explores practical solutions for ensuring the continuity of medical education during the conflict in the Sudanese context. Methods: A comprehensive literature review covered relevant articles published from 1915 to 2023. Four major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) were searched using keywords related to medical education, war, armed conflict, and affected countries. Data synthesis identified common themes, challenges, and trends and suggested solutions for medical education in conflict zones. Case studies from Ukraine, Liberia, and Iraq were included for a comprehensive understanding. Results: Collaborative alliances among medical schools facilitate resource sharing and support. Engaging the Sudanese diaspora through virtual collaborations, mentorship programs, and faculty exchanges enhance educational experiences. Stable regions as...
Academic medicine in Sudan: the challenges and solutions
Journal of Public Health and Emergency, 2022
Scientific and clinical research in Sudan is needed in order to address the burden of different diseases like diabetes, hypertension, tropical diseases and the recent burden of COVID-19 (1,2). The definition of academic medicine was reviewed by different groups and authors. For instance, Ann Schwind defines academic medicine as part of her commentary to the Group on Institutional Planning of the Association of American Medical Colleges, "Academic medicine refers to the array of organizations which contribute to the education of physicians and biomedical
Background: Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) in Sudan dated back to 1953 in the last century. Despite the extended period of the delivery of training, there are limited published studies that measure the quality of the training and satisfaction of the residents with provided training. The objectives of this study were 1) to assess the satisfaction of the internal medicine residents with the quality of their training; 2) to identify the areas of strengths and challenges; 3) to explore the factors affecting the quality of internal medicine residency program from residents' perspectives. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted for the Internal Medicine Residency Program of Sudan Medical Specialization Board (SMSB) during the period June 2017 -January 2018, using anonymous, validated, Self-administered questionnaire (n=189). The SPSS version 22.0 was used for quantitative data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate frequencies, means, and SD. Results: Out of 189 residents, 181 (95.76%) responded to the questionnaire. Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.897 for all questionnaire items and ranged from 0.891 to 0.900 for each item, suggesting a high degree of internal consistency. The study revealed that some areas were positive in this program included the duration of training, development of communication skills and life-long learning. While the residents recommended some improvement in the following areas; the implemented curriculum, learning environment, mentoring and supervision, assessment, and training in research. Conclusion: This study revealed overall average satisfaction with the training by the residents. However, some areas need improvement particularly; the training curriculum, learning environment, assessment, supervision and feedback.
Doctors in the Making: Medical Training in Central Sudan
Abstract: In a region with a rich pluralist healing tradition, how are students taught to become biomedical practitioners? This chapter discusses ethnographic field research at the (then) new medical school of the University of Sennar, Sudan, carried out in 2001. Guided by the research of Goode and Goode among Harvard medical students, and by Kleinman’s insight into the nature of medicine generally, we interviewed twelve students from each semester, to try and pinpoint key moments in their training when they were aware of a shift in their understandings of health and healing. This largely qualitative data was set against the context of the medical school curriculum, on the one hand, which we learned about from various faculty and staff members at the school, and from attending lectures and labs. It was also situated in almost thirty years of research into the various healing traditions of the town of Sennar, Blue Nile Province, on the other. Topics considered in this chapter include the influence of Islam on medical knowledge; medical students’ attitudes to death and dying, to other types of healing systems, and to physicians’ culpability; and student reflections on the nature of biomedical education. Key words: Biomedicine, Sudan, education, knowledge, change.