Setting priorities for teaching and learning: an innovative needs assessment for a new family medicine program in Lao PDR.

Full Abstract

Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is a small, tropical, landlocked country in southeast Asia. It is one of the least developed countries in the region, and its socioeconomic indicators are among the lowest 25% in the world. The World Health Organization has long called for increased equity in primary health care access around the world. To meet this need in Lao PDR, the Family Medicine Specialist Program was developed, a Lao-generated postgraduate training program designed to produce community-oriented primary care practitioners to serve the rural, remote areas of Lao PDR, where 80% of the population lives. An innovative method of needs assessment was required to determine the health care priorities to be met by this new program. Through the use of a modified Delphi technique, local key leaders in medical education, clinical specialists, and teachers were consulted to develop prioritized objectives for the hospital-based curriculum of the program. By setting priorities for teaching and learning in the unique and needy circumstances of Lao PDR, a novel approach to curriculum planning in a low-income country was explored and ultimately formed the foundation of the new curriculum. This process served to direct the allocation of scarce resources during implementation of this groundbreaking program. More importantly, this model of needs assessment could potentially be used to customize medical curricula in other low-income countries facing challenges similar to those in Lao PDR.

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Author information

Author/s: Kanashiro, Jeanie (J); Hollaar, Gwen (G); Wright, Bruce (B); Nammavongmixay, Khamphong (K); Roff, Sue (S);

Affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. jeanie.kanashiro(-atsign-)calgaryhealthregion.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges (Acad Med), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Mar; vol 82 (issue 3) : pp 231-7

Dates: Created 2007/02/28; Completed 2007/04/16; Revised 2007/09/20;

PMID: 17327708, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Fam Med. 2007 Jul-Aug;39(7):515-6. (PMID: 17602330)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Canada
Curriculum
Delphi Technique
Developing Countries
Education, Medical, Graduate - organization & administration
Family Practice - education

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