The African Pediatric Fellowship Program: Training in Africa for Africans

Abstract

Africa has a significant burden of childhood disease, with relatively few skilled health care professionals. The African Paediatric Fellowship Programme was developed by the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Cape Town to provide relevant training for African child health professionals, by Africans, within Africa. Trainees identified by partner academic institutions spend 6 months to 2 years training in the Department of Pediatrics and allied disciplines. They then return to their home institution to build practice, training, research, and advocacy. From 2008 to 2015, 73 physicians have completed or are completing training in general pediatrics or a pediatric subspecialty. At 1 year posttraining, 98% to 100% are practicing back in their home institution. The impact of the returning fellows is evident from their practice interventions, research collaborations, and positions as stakeholders who can change health care policies. Thirty-three centers in 13 African countries are partners with the program, and the program template is now followed by other partner sites in Africa. Increasing and retaining the skills pool of African child health specialists is building a network of motivated, highly skilled clinicians who are equipped to advance child health in Africa.

Postgraduate Medical Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review Spanning 26 Years and Lessons Learned

“…29,71,98,110,122 Programs reported that retention of graduates was influenced by location of training as well as career prospects and employment opportunities after graduation. 8,10,66,74,79,92,98,[122][123][124][125][126][127] In several instances, tracking graduates of PGME programs revealed high rates of in-country retention, especially at academic centers. A study of academic faculty at a large hospital in Kenya reported the majority of surgeons on staff were trained locally.…”

Advocacy for children with epilepsy: Leveraging the WHA resolution. Advocacy Task Force, Commission of Pediatrics, International League Against Epilepsy

“…In most parts of the world, children with epilepsy are not managed by child neurologists, let alone pediatric epilepsy specialists. Integrating epilepsy management into primary health care is an essential step to reduce the treatment gap and requires effective training programs . These programs should be aimed at training nonspecialist health care providers, and at empowering people with epilepsy and their caregivers for greater use of self‐ and home‐care programs …”

The African Hospitalist Fellowship

“…A newly qualified specialist trainee (ADD) commenced a pilot project with the African Paediatric Fellowship Programme (APFP) in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at UCT to address the task of training paediatric hospitalists. [5] The aim was to create a new 1-year fellowship curriculum, targeting trainees in the immediate post-accreditation period (equivalent to a 'year 5' following general paediatrics specialisation) and designed to address the issue of successful transitioning into the role of a hospital-based general paediatrics consultant, namely an ' African paediatric hospitalist' .…”