Browsing by Author "Rickard, Jennifer"

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Scaling up a Surgical Residency Program in Rwanda
(The College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), 2016) Rickard, Jennifer; Ssebuufu, Robinson; Kyamanywa, Patrick; Ntakiyiruta, Georges;
Background: Beginning in 2012, the Government of Rwanda implemented the Human Resources for Health (HRH) program to enhance capacity building in the Rwandan health education sector. Through this program, surgical training at University of Rwanda (UR) has expanded. The aim of this presentation is to describe the scaling up of the UR surgical residency program Methods: We performed a descriptive analysis of the UR surgical residency program after initiation of the Rwanda HRH Program. Results: Through the HRH Program, faculty from US institutions supplements the existing Rwandan educational infrastructure to increase the teaching capacity in Rwanda. Intake of surgical trainees more than doubled within the first year of the program. Service-based surgical training has changed to competency-based training through curriculum development, dedicated academic days and surgical education within firms. Lectures remain a dominant feature of the educational program, but more focus is placed on bedside teaching and peer-education. Shortage of operative space and a tremendous number of emergency patients overwhelm public teaching hospitals posing a challenge towards providing residents with a broad spectrum of operative experiences, especially elective surgical cases. Conclusion: Through this program, the ursurgical residency program has greatly expanded. Over time, the quantity and quality of surgical residents is expected to increase.
Utilizing the American Board of Surgery In-training Exam in a Rwandan Surgical Residency Program: Alignment of Exam Topics With the University of Rwanda General Surgery Curriculum
(The College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), 2016) Rickard, Jennifer; Ntirenganya, F; Kyamanywa, Patrick; Ntakiyiruta, G
Background: University of Rwanda (UR) increased postgraduate surgery training and assessment strategies are needed. We compared American Board of Surgery In-Training Exam (ABSITE) topics with UR surgery curriculum to determine the applicability of ABSITE in Rwanda. Methods: Topics are outlined in the Surgical Council on Resident Education (SCORE) curriculum whereas the UR utilizes a modular system. Diseases and conditions in SCORE were compared with UR surgery module content. Operation and procedures in SCORE were compared with operative procedures in UR surgery curriculum. Results: Overall, 72% of diseases and conditions from SCORE were covered in UR curriculum. Of this, 76% of medical knowledge and 71% of patient care content was covered in UR curriculum. 41% of operations and procedures from SCORE were identified in UR curriculum. 55% of core operations and 16% of advanced operations from SCORE were included in UR general surgery curriculum. Content identified in UR curriculum and not SCORE included infectious and tropical diseases, orthopedics, urology and neurosurgery. Conclusions: There is alignment between ABSITE topics and UR general surgery curriculum suggesting that the ABSITE can be used as an in-training examination for Rwandan residents. Understanding the limitations of the ABSITE exam can help utilization of this examination.