Oct 2012: Preliminary Visit to Aksum Summary Report
- aksumbarts
- Oct 1, 2012
- 1 min read
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
