title: Guiding the development of family medicine training in Africa through collaboration with the Medical Education Partnership Initiative.
abstract: Africa's health care challenges include a high burden of disease, low life expectancy, health workforce shortages, and varying degrees of commitment to primary health care on the part of policy makers and government officials. One overarching goal of the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is to develop models of medical education in Sub-Saharan Africa. To do this, MEPI has created a network of universities and other institutions that, among other things, recognizes the importance of supporting training programs in family medicine. This article provides a framework for assessing the stage of the development of family medicine training in Africa, including the challenges that were encountered and how educational organizations can help to address them. A modified "stages of change" model (precontemplation, contemplation, action, maintenance, and relapse) was used as a conceptual framework to understand the various phases that countries go through in developing family medicine in the public sector and to determine the type of assistance that is useful at each phase.
authors: Prof. Mash is professor, Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa. Prof. de Villiers is professor, Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, and deputy dean for education, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa. Dr. Moodley is public health medicine specialist and project manager, SURMEPI, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa. Prof. Nachega is associate professor, Department of Medicine, Epidemiology, and Infectious Diseases, Pittsburgh University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and professor extraordinaire, Department of Medicine, and director, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.
authors: Robert J
authors: RJ
authors: Mash
authors: Marietjie R
authors: MR
authors: de Villiers
authors: Kalay
authors: K
authors: Moodley
authors: Jean B
authors: JB
authors: Nachega
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D003479:Curriculum; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D016730:Program Development; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States