Emergency Obstetrics Knowledge and Practical Skills Retention Among Medical Students in Rwanda Following a Short Training Course

Abstract

Objective:To describe rates of improved knowledge following a structured 2-day emergency obstetrics trainingcourse.Methods:Quantitative assessments to evaluate emergency obstetrics knowledge and practical skillswere administered before, immediately after, and 3–9 months following the training course for 65final-yearmedical students at the National University of Rwanda. A survey was administered during thefinal assessment.Results:In total, 52 (80.0%) students demonstrated knowledge improvement after training. Fifty-seven (87.7%)students improved or maintained their scores from the post-training written test to thefinal assessment,and 32 (49.2%) retained practical skills. Twenty-one (32.3%) of the class demonstrated competency in bothwritten and practical skills. According to multivariable logistic regression analysis, female gender was associatedwith overall competency (P=0.01), and use of the internet for academic purposes more than 3–5 timesper week tended toward competency (P=0.11).Conclusion:A 2-day emergency obstetrics training courseincreased knowledge among medical students. Because educational policies are tailored to address highrates of maternal mortality in resource-poor settings, workshops dedicated to emergency obstetrics shouldbe promoted.