Oct 2012: Preliminary Visit to Aksum Summary Report

BACKGROUND

A new public medical school opened in Aksum, Ethiopia, in February 2012, as part of a

country-wide initiative to increase the number of doctors

QMUL was awarded a start up grant, to investigate a potential partnership between

Aksum University medical school and Barts and The London School of Medicine and

Dentistry

A Scoping visit was undertaken in October 2012

AKSUM UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL

Curriculum designed by Federal Ministries of Health and Education, with input from

international consultants, focuses on training doctors to serve the healthcare needs of

a rural population and includes problem based learning

Well funded, good libraries and Internet facilities, awaiting skills lab equipment

Lack of teachers in medical school, and few mentors for junior doctors

Teaching staff also not confident in delivery of some aspects of curriculum

OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED BY PARTNERSHIP

Unique opportunity for staff and students of Barts to contribute to the shaping of new

medical school, by helping to train teachers, and teach students

Wide variety of medical cases at St Mary’s Hospital – excellent for elective or SSC

students who wish to observe signs and symptoms and practice examination skills.

Aksum clinicians report comprehensive patient records which could be of interest to

research staff at Barts, and students conducting SSC projects

Aksum University Campus