Mary Muiruri wins AstraZeneca Research Grant award.

PRIME-K is delighted to inform you that Mary Muiruri won the AstraZeneca Research Grant award.

Mary Muiruri is a recipient of tremendous support from MEPI-Kenya in many areas of her research and this award highlights the direct impact of the capacity building by the MEPI grant.

We are proud to share our success with you - the MEPI family.This is what Mary had to say

“I kindly wish to express my deep gratitude and appreciation for the immense support that MEPI-Kenya has given me for the past two years since December 2012 when I applied for the PRIME-K seed grant.  I have benefited a great deal through this project. First it was the seed grant which funded part of my PhD research, then the sponsorship to attend the EAPHEA conference in Kampala this year June, and two trainings in between. It's also through PRIME-K that I got to know Dr. Titus Kahiga* who has become my mentor in research.”

“I also would like to say thank you for the sponsorship to attend the SARETI modules in South Africa from 25th Aug - 6th Sept this year. I'm really grateful. I learnt a lot on ethical issues in HIV clinical trials and in research generally. It was both an opportunity for learning and exposure. Out of it I've now even began to get involved in training here at Kenyatta University.”

“It's my prayer that God richly bless you and the MEPI family, to which I now feel I belong. I look forward to participating more and more in MEPI's future activities. Thank you. ”

Mary Muiruri.
Kenyatta University.

*Dr. Titus Kahiga, is the Kenyatta University representative for MEPI-Kenya.

 

Mary at the EAPHEA conference in Kampala, Uganda

E-Content writing/Conversion

PRIME-K continues its commitment in the promotion of new teaching methodologies in the University of Nairobi, College of Health Sciences. The program does this by facilitating the university’s faculty to develop their lectures into modules which can then be hosted on an E-platform with the main aim of enabling accessibility of the materials to students at all times.

Mr. Orina, the facilitator assiting faculty

Thus the program held a 4 day workshop June 17-20, 2014 for the Department of Psychiatry (CHS), to develop E-content materials. The workshop attracted 18 participants who were taken through the crucial steps of writing, developing and converting E-content that is user oriented.

Speaking during the event, Dr. Mary Kuria, Chair Department of Psychiatry, pointed out that the workshop was imperative considering the current world we are living in with the rapid technological advancements. That the workshop brings a fresh dimension for teaching. “This is an significant step in teaching, use of e-content brings a new and exciting way of teaching and also very convenient because the faculty are few, and this method offers a wider reach.” She states

This sentiments are echoed by Dr. John Mburu, a lecturer at the university who says they should have done E-conversion earlier owing to its reach and incredible efficiency in teaching. “E-content offers us lecturers an easy way of teaching and students can learn better as the content is there and they can revisit anytime.” He attests.

PRIME-K

“Improving health outcomes through training and research”

TRAINING WORKSHOP ON INNOVATIVE TEACHING METHODOLOGIES AND MENTORSHIP

This training was held with the intention of preparing the healthcare workers who will be directly responsible for University of Nairobi's undergraduate students when they are sent to their facilities for rotation.

After this training, learners will be able to handle medical students when they are sent to their facilities for clinical rotations. The training had 23 participants. This included health records officers, clinical officers, nurses, doctors, medical specialists and other administrators.

The training was conducted in sessions of three (3) days trainings on the site at Utalii Hotel in Nairobi on data collection, utilization and management. The facilitators used power point presentations and Group discussions. Each of the participants was given a Pre and Post self-assessment to fill out and turn in.

Participants were introduced to Learning methods, Bedside teaching, integrated learning, Microteaching and Mentorship. The facilitators covered the Principles of Learning, Specific Learning Objectives and Mentorship process.

The participants were split into four (4) groups and asked to come up with case studies and offer possible solutions.

TRAINING OVERVIEW

Day 1

Participants were introduced to PRIME-K Program, educational needs, principles of learning, taxonomy and domain.

Day 2

The facilitators introduced learning methods, bedside teaching, integrated learning and microteaching.

Day 3

The participants were introduced to the rationale of mentorship, roles and characteristics of an effective mentor, basic knowledge and skills in mentorship and mentorship process.

Mentorship Faculty Workshop 7th-9th April, 2014

The Mentorship Workshop for faculty and staff at the University of Nairobi College of Health Sciences (CHS) was held on 7^th-9^th April, 2014 at the Lake Naivasha Panorama Hotel, Kenya.

The purpose of the workshop was  to train members of faculty and staff  on mentoring  .The training was based on the  mentorship  Guidelines  developed by PRIME-K aim 3.The overall objective of the workshop was to train  faculty on the implementation of the mentorship program at University of Nairobi.

There were a total of 24 participants from the six Schools and administrative offices at the College of Health Sciences.

Content Covered

The   mentorship guidelines   content covered the following areas:

• Introduction and rationale of mentorship
• Roles and characteristics of mentors
• Benefits of mentoring to mentee, mentor and the institution
• functions of a mentor
• Attributes of a good mentor
• Types of mentoring
• Identifiction,screening and selection of mentors
• Incentives for participation in mentoring
• Mentoring strategies
• Establishing mentorship programs and Mentorship skills and processes.

Partnership for Innovative Medical Education - Kenya SKILLS LAB

PARTNERSHIP FOR INNOVATIVE MEDICAL EDUCATION IN KENYA (PRIME-K)

WHO WE ARE/ABOUT US/OUR PROGRAM

The University of Nairobi is one of the thirteen (13) African universities that received Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) award.

In 2010, The University of Nairobi inaugurated the Partnership for Innovative Medical Education in Kenya (PRIME-K) in collaboration with two of its longstanding training partners, the University of Washington (UW) and the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB).                                 

OUR APPROACH

The program aims are to:

Improve the quality of medical education:

The programme utilizes an innovative “skills lab” that allows students to have hands-on clinical experiences using expert patients and simulation models. In addition, the faculty have been trained in clinical teaching, and new educational approaches have been rigorously evaluated to promote the most effective methods university-wide.

Extend the reach of medical training outside Nairobi:

We have developed and implemented a decentralized, community-based program that optimizes training in primary care and preventive medicine around HIV/AIDS.

This was achieved by training and accrediting local medical doctors and specialists at 14 provincial and district hospitals which are rotation sites for medical students, interns, and postgraduates.

To bolster training and care at these decentralized sites, we have introduced the use of mobile phones applications and E-learning systems.

Increase retention of UON faculty by providing opportunities for UON postgraduates and faculty to pursue clinical or applied research:

This is accomplished through three different mechanisms:

ü  A one- year mentored fellowship in implementation science,

ü  Career development awards in clinical research, and

ü  A seed research project program.

Support for the UON Research Structures:

This will streamline the processes for conducting research within UON by directly supporting the Office of Grants Management and IRB to increase efficiency of operations and management to the standards of USG funding regulations.

At Prime-K also seeks to build implementation science research and enhance leadership capacity in Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH).