title: Current Status of Family Medicine Faculty Development in Sub-Saharan Africa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Reducing the shortage of primary care physicians in sub-Saharan Africa requires expansion of training programs in family medicine. Challenges remain in preparing, recruiting, and retaining faculty qualified to teach in these pioneering programs. Little is known about the unique faculty development needs of family medicine faculty within the sub-Saharan African context. The purpose of this study was to assess the current status and future needs for developing robust family medicine faculty in sub-Saharan Africa. The results are reported in two companion articles.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study design was used to conduct a qualitative needs assessment comprising 37 in-depth, semi-structured interviews of individual faculty trainers from postgraduate family medicine training programs in eight sub-Saharan African countries. Data were analyzed according to qualitative description.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While faculty development opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa were identified, current faculty note many barriers to faculty development and limited participation in available programs. Faculty value teaching competency, but institutional structures do not provide adequate support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sub-Saharan African family physicians and postgraduate trainee physicians value good teachers and recognize that clinical training alone does not provide all of the skills needed by educators. The current status of limited resources of institutions and individuals constrain faculty development efforts. Where faculty development opportunities do exist, they are too infrequent or otherwise inaccessible to provide trainers the necessary skills to help them succeed as educators.
authors.affiliation: Department Family Medicine, UPMC St. Margaret Family Medicine Residency Program.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chege
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dahlman
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evensen
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Colon-Gonzalez
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onguka
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lamptey
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Cayley
authors.forename: Bich-May
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Sawra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Getnet
authors.forename: Memoona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasnain
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D006295:Health Resources; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010820:Physicians / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D036301:Qualitative Research