The Development and Implementation of Emergency MedicineResidency Training in the Republic of Ethiopia.

Janis P. Tupesis MD1, Ryan Wubben MD1, James Svenson MD1, Sisay Teklu MD2, Akliku Ajaz MD2

Nebyou Seyoum MD2, Assefu Woldesadik MD2, Girma Tefera MD3.1Division of Emergency Medicine, 3Division of Vascular Sugery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Madison, WI.

2Department of Emergency Medicine, Addis Ababa University. Addis Ababa, Ethiopa.

BACKGROUND PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION OUTCOMES

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services are poorly developed in the continent of Africa. Due to the paucity of traditional medical facilities and graduate medical education programs this is particularly the case in the Republic of Ethiopia. The University of Wisconsin Division of Emergency Medicine and the Division of Vascular Surgery have partnered with faculty at Addis Ababa University (AAU) to develop an EM Residency Training program at Tikur Anbessa Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The objective of the project was to develop a clinical and didactic residency training curriculum that would train physician specialists in the discipline of Emergency Medicine who can provide comprehensive emergency medical care in a resource limited setting. During the 2009-2010 academic year, numerous faculty interchanges were conducted between the University of Wisconsin and Addis Ababa University. Based loosely on the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Graduate Medical Education Program Requirements for Emergency Medicine a comprehensive curriculum in Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services was developed. Content included: overall programmatic objectives and graduate profile, clinical rotation objectives, didactic curriculum, and assessment/evaluation/promotion policies.

During the 2010 academic year, AAU successfully introduced Emergency Medicine as a new academic discipline at Tikur Anbessa Hospital. The residency curriculum was developed by the Emergency Medicine faculty in Ethiopia with guidance from faculty and staff at the University of Wisconsin Division of Emergency Medicine. The curriculum was approved by the School of Medicine, the Dean of the Medical School and by the Academic Commission at AAU.

In September of 2010 five residents matriculated in a new and innovative Emergency Medicine Residency Training Program at AAU. This serves as one of the first graduate medical education programs in Emergency Medicine on the continent of Africa. Continued collaborative projects between UW and AAU will focus on faculty/resident interchange, resident evaluation and promotion strategies and continued curriculum design, development and implementation.

The authors would like to thank the faculty and the administration at the University of Wisconsin and Addis Ababa University.