Our Students and Curriculum

Our students
The Graduation
The Problem Based Curriculum
Clinical skills
Community work
Student fees

Our students

More than half of the students come from the central and northern provinces.

Seventy percent are women and age ranged from 18 - 30.

Because of the extreme variability in standards of education it was agreed that any formal entrance examination would exclude potentially able students. Instead all applicants who could provide evidence of attendance for secondary education to age 18 were accepted into a "propadeutial" or preliminary year of intensive training in English, maths, science, informatics and ethics.

Continuous assessments including three monthly formal tests were used to identify those with the necessary abilities to proceed to the full six year clinical training programme.

The emphasis on English was considered essential in view of the dependence on a problem based learning curriculum and the need for students to access the literature and internet.

The first students entered the propadeutial year in 2000, and 30 proceeded to the first year full training programme. In 2008, these numbers had increased to 130 students admitted to the propadeutial year and 60 to the first clinical year.

Some short biographies:

Mario Antunes	Kajal Chhaganla	Danubio Gemicene	Elmano dos Santos Gomonda	Wanda Mavimbe

The Graduation

Our first cohort of students graduated in 2007 ..............................

Click graphic or picture to see a video of the graduation.

The Problem Based Curriculum

Year 'O' the “Propadeutial” Year

• Basic science, Maths, English, Informatics, Ethics

Years 1 - 4

• Scientific basis of medicine, public health, basic clinical and laboratory skills.
• Seven blocks per annum.
• Four / five groups of eight students.
• Mixture of -
  • Tutor facilitated self-learning
  • Lectures
  • Clinical skills training
  • Laboratory practicals

Year 5

• Clinical Attachments at Central Hospital Beira - Tutor led.

Year 6

• Clinical Attachments at Central Hospital Beira - Apprenticeship.

  Click the graphic for details of the curriculum.

Clinical skills

Including:

• Intravenous cannulations
• Giving an injection
• Bandaging
• Resuscitation including advanced life support
• Communication skills using video recordings (repeated in blocks each year)

Additionally in years three and four ...

• Weekly attendance at an outpatient teaching clinic

This clinic allows each student to see one new patient per week to take a history, perform physical examination and laboratory investigations and allows 1:1 discussion with a doctor. The objectives are to ensure a high level of basic skill standard before the start of hospital clinical attachments in years 5 and 6.This has been particularly successful as students with well developed  communication , history taking and examination skills are able to contribute to patient care delivery when they enter years five and six for their clinical attachments and are welcomed by nursing and technical staff.

In years five and six during their clinical attachments they acquire extensive experience in performance of practical procedures including cannulisation, lumbar punctures, thoracenteses,  minor surgical procedures and delivery of babies.

 

Community work

• All students from year one onwards are attached to three or five families in local "village" to provide support for any health problems they might have.
  
• Each family averages 10 members of whom 3-5 maybe children.
  
• If student feels can advise they do so - if not discuss with tutor.
  
• If hospital referral required students area recommended to accompany them.
  
• Recent initiatives include project generated by students to encourage healthier disposal of rubbish, and a range of small epidemiological studies.
  
• More than half the students are involved in additional voluntary work;  e.g. providing food for those with aids in the local village.

Student fees

All students have to pay $1500 yearly. However more than 70% receive grants or scholarships. Many of these are provided by the Governors of central and northern provinces. They are conditional on students passing their examinations and require them on graduation to work for a minimum of two years in the respective province. Others are given by other charities and there is a fund in Beira for those in special need.

To date the Faculty are unaware of any students dropping out for financial reasons only.