title: How medical education can contribute towards the reduction of maternal mortality in Angola: the teaching/learning process of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Angola the maternal mortality ratio is among the highest in the world. Medical students are an important target for intervention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate how students perceive the curricular unit of Gynecology and Obstetrics (G&O) in a public institution of reference in Angola.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study involved a sample of 147 students of the faculty of Medicine of the University Agostinho Neto, Luanda, Angola, attending the curricular unit of G&O in the 5th and 6th years of the medical course. Data were obtained through surveys of opinion. The information of the scales was summarized through the construction of scores from the original items using the Principal Components Analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students evaluated positively the curricular unit although emphasizing the lack of human and physical resources. The 5th year scored with higher values Teacher Performance and 6th year Students' Performance. Both years considered to have insufficient skills to meet the learning objectives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Constraints were identified in the outcomes of the teaching/learning program. Several points emerged as crucial from this study: widespread the areas of teaching/learning, increase the number and quality of teaching staff, improve the monitoring of students and provide adequate infrastructures and medical equipment to support the teaching/learning program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Education and Research of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of the University Agostinho Neto Av. Hoji ya Henda, 116, Luanda, Angola. manuelamendes@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.affiliation: Elizabete Maria Ferraz Loureiro Carteado Center for Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Loureiro
authors.affiliation: Maria Amélia Duarte Ferreira Center for Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000810:Angola; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D010465:Perception; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
keywords: Maternal Mortality; Medical Education; Obstetrics and Gynecology