Community-Based Education

Peer Review of the Community-Based Medical Education Program at the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences

In collaboration with the PEPFAR Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Community-Based Education (CBE) Technical Working Group and the MEPI Coordinating Center, CapacityPlus organized and conducted a peer review of the CBE program of the University of Zimbabwe College of Heath Sciences (UZCHS). The review was based on a validated methodology developed by the Collaboration for Health Equity through Education and Research (CHEER), which was formed in 2003 in South Africa to examine strategies that would increase the production of health professional graduates who choose to practice in rural and underserved areas of South Africa. The review served two purposes: 1) to provide a practical training experience in the CHEER peer review process for representatives from four MEPI-supported schools; and 2) to explore the strengths and weaknesses of the UZCHS field attachment program with respect to how well students are being prepared to serve in rural and underserved areas in Zimbabwe.

The PEPFAR-funded Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) aims to support
medical education and research in sub-Saharan African institutions. The intention is to increase the quantity, quality, and retention of graduates with specific skills addressing the health needs of their populations. While many MEPI programs include elements of community-based education (CBE), such as community placements, clinical rotations in underserved locations, community medicine, or primary health care, the challenge identified by MEPI-supported schools was the need for appropriate approaches and tools to evaluate these activities. This article, co-authored by Rebecca Bailey and Heather Ross of CapacityPlus, outlines the process of identifying tools that, with modification, could assist in the evaluation of CBE programs in participating MEPI schools.

This compendium of tools was disseminated to participants at the Medical Education Partnership Initiative Community-Based Education Evaluation Workshop. Participants used the pre-workshop activities tool to prepare in advance. In collaboration with the MEPI community-based education technical working group, CapacityPlus and the MEPI Coordinating Center conducted the workshop, which was held on April 1–3, 2014, in Kampala, Uganda. The participants represented 11 MEPI-supported institutions and consortiums in seven countries. During the workshop they shared good practices for community-based education evaluation, drafted school-specific program evaluation plans, and strengthened the community-based education community of practice.

MEPI Community-Based Education Evaluation Workshop: Day 3

This presentation was given during the third day of the Medical Education Partnership Initiative Community-Based Education (CBE) Evaluation Workshop, which was held on April 1–3, 2014, in Kampala, Uganda. In collaboration with the MEPI community-based education technical working group, CapacityPlus and the MEPI Coordinating Center conducted the workshop. Representatives from 11 MEPI-supported institutions and consortiums in seven countries shared good practices for CBE evaluation, drafted school-specific program evaluation plans, and strengthened the CBE community of practice.