title: Sharing perspectives and experiences of doctoral fellows in the first cohort of Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa: 2011-2014.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Resolution of public health problems in Africa remains a challenge because of insufficient skilled human resource capacity. The Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) was established to enhance capacity in multi-disciplinary health research that will make a positive impact on population health in Africa.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The first cohort of the CARTA program describes their perspectives and experiences during the 4 years of fellowship and puts forward suggestions for future progress and direction of research in Africa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The model of training as shown by the CARTA program is an effective model of research capacity building in African academic institutions. An expansion of the program is therefore warranted to reach out to more African academics in search of advanced research training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; badedokun@cartafrica.org.
authors.forename: Babatunde
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Adedokun
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; School of Health Sciences, Monash University, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nyasulu
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Faculty of Community Health, University of Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi.
authors.forename: Fresier
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maseko
authors.affiliation: Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Demography and Population Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Sunday
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adedini
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akinyemi
authors.affiliation: Demography and Population Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Sulaimon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Afolabi
authors.affiliation: Demography and Population Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de Wet
authors.affiliation: Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adedokun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sulaimon
authors.affiliation: Department of Literature, Theatre and Film Studies, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sambai
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Physics and Biochemical Sciences, Malawi Polytechnic, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi.
authors.forename: Wells
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Utembe
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Opiyo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Rehabilitation, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Taofeek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Awotidebe
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi; MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Esnat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chirwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, College of Health Sciences, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya; Department of Anthropology and Human Ecology, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nabakwe
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Statistics, University of Rwanda, Huye, Rwanda.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Niragire
authors.affiliation: Department of Sustainable Development, University of Rwanda, Huye, Rwanda; Centre for Population Studies and Research, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Dieudonné
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Uwizeye
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Statistics, University of Rwanda, Huye, Rwanda; Centre for Population Studies and Research, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Celine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Niwemahoro
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi.
authors.forename: Mphatso
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamndaya
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mwakalinga
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Kennedy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otwombe
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004500:Education, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D040381:Education, Public Health Professional / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: CARTA; JAS; advanced research training; doctoral fellow; first cohort