title: Family Medicine at the University of the West Indies: a model for the developing world.
abstract: Context and background: To describe the Family Medicine (FM) postgraduate training programme at the University of the West Indies (UWI). Actions and activities: This paper was created through a review of documents, and discussions with past and present coordinators and key stakeholders at four campuses in the English-speaking Caribbean (ESC).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite intermittent setbacks the FM programme in the ESC has grown due to: (1) The presence of an umbrella institution in the UWI. (2) The role of the Caribbean College of Family Physicians providing a unifying force of advocacy and cooperation. (3) Collaboration of staff across four sites despite large distances, differing departmental and campus structures and financial models; and varying levels of local medical and public health support. (4) The use of a modular design for academic content, which means that students have comparable learning experiences. (5) Streamlining of exit examinations, thus sharing resources in the assessment process. (6) A strong presence of FM in the undergraduate curriculum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite a variety of timelines in programme development and funding mechanisms, over 150 physicians have graduated in FM in the past five years. We identify the unifying strategies and institutions which made this possible and present this model as an option for new programmes in the developing world.
authors.affiliation: a Unit of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medical Sciences , The University of West Indies , St. Augustine , Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: Rohan G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Maharaj
authors.affiliation: b Department of Community Health and Psychiatry , The University of West Indies , Mona , Jamaica.
authors.forename: Aileen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Standard-Goldson
authors.affiliation: c SCMR Nassau Campus , Nassau , Bahamas.
authors.forename: Cherilyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hanna-Mahase
authors.affiliation: d Caribbean College of Family Physicians , Kingston , Jamaica.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roache-Barker
authors.affiliation: b Department of Community Health and Psychiatry , The University of West Indies , Mona , Jamaica.
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cunningham-Myrie
authors.affiliation: a Unit of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medical Sciences , The University of West Indies , St. Augustine , Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: M Shastri
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Motilal
authors.affiliation: a Unit of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medical Sciences , The University of West Indies , St. Augustine , Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: Carnille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Farquharson
authors.affiliation: e Faculty of Medical Sciences , The University of West Indies, Cave Hill Campus , St. Michael , Barbados.
authors.forename: Euclid
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: f Faculty of Medical Sciences , The University of West Indies , Cave Hill , Barbados.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paul-Charles
authors.affiliation: g Department of Community Health & Psychiatry , The University of West Indies , Mona , Jamaica.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Williams-Green
authors.affiliation: f Faculty of Medical Sciences , The University of West Indies , Cave Hill , Barbados.
authors.forename: O Peter
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D014900:West Indies
keywords: Family Medicine Education; International Family Medicine; West Indies; advocacy; programme development