Postgraduate Training Network for Research in Reproductive Health

Course modules - Course files - Learning objectives
Indonesia 2003 - Argentina 2004 - Cameroon 2004 - China 2004 - Romania 2004 -
Argentina 2005 - Cameroon 2007 - Afghanistan 2008 - Laos 2009
Geneva 2004 - Geneva 2005 - Geneva 2006 - Geneva 2007 - Geneva 2008

Meeting 3 September 2003

A consensus meeting of the participants of the Postgraduate Research Training Network took place on 3 September 2003. The purpose was to discuss the organisation and running of the Postgraduate Research Training Course in the collaborating centres.

The participants of the meeting were:

Biran Affandi, Fatmawati Hospital, Jakarta – Indonesia
Blaise Bourrit, Secretary – GFMER
Aldo Campana, President – GFMER
Jie Chen, WHO
Enrique Ezcurra, RHR/WHO
A. Metin Gülmezoglu, RHR/WHO
Mihai Horga, EEIRH, Targu-Mures – Romania
Regina Kulier, GFMER
Mario Merialdi, RHR/WHO
Francis J. Ndowa, RHR/WHO
François Pralong, Faculty of Medicine – Lausanne
José Villar, RHR/WHO
Observer: Meena Cherian, WHO
Secretary: Sylvie Cecile Ngo Tama, GFMER

Introduction

The Postgraduate Research Training Course in Reproductive Health, organized in collaboration with the Department of Reproductive Health and Research/WHO has been taking place in Geneva for 13 years and has had around 300 fellows. It is a course in training in clinical research methodology with the objective to teach the participants on how to read, prepare and interpret a scientific paper.

A major component of the Course is the synthesis of research evidence. This implies to teach how to summarize scientific evidence, which are the tools to be used and how to make clinical decisions on a scientific basis.

The idea is to disseminate the course with the support of previous Geneva course participants, create an interaction between collaborating institutions and improve the quality of teaching. Participants for the Geneva course must have the capacity to become trainers locally.
Adaptations of the course programme to local needs can be made, but these should always follow the basic structure and the content of the Geneva Course.

Postgraduate Course 2003 in Geneva

There were 31 participants from 23 different countries. The course was divided into 8 modules; the exams were in three parts: Literature review, oral presentation and MCQ of 60 questions. All the participants successfully passed their exams. The Certificates were given by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva for the Reproductive Health participants and a Certificate of WHO to the Chronic Disease participants.

More information on the course can be found on the Foundation's website. About 90% of the course material (including full text references) is free accessible on Internet. This will form the basis for the lectures held locally.

Discussion of the course modules

The content of modules was discussed and amended (see course modules)

The following issues were agreed upon:

The Collaborating Centres, GFMER and WHO will form the International Network on Research Training in Reproductive Health, whose main activity is the provision of research training

The International Association of Maternal and Neonatal Health (IAMANEH) will be co-organiser of the training courses

Interaction between Geneva module coordinators and local coordinators before the course starts

Lectures to be prepared by local lecturers together with the Geneva lecturers

Possibility of discussion sessions (via e-mail) between Geneva and the Collaborating Centres

Possibility to invite lecturers from Geneva to the locally held courses

The question of access to journals was discussed and it was agreed that all students will receive the WHO Reproductive Health Library

Activities at the collaborating centres

China: There will be a team consisting of members of the School of Public Health, the Centre of Telemedecine, Health Technology Assessment Training and Research Centre and the Teaching Affiliated Hospitals of the Fudan University, Shanghai. There will be a training course for tutors (1 - 2 weeks for 6 - 8 participants), with the key trainers being the 2 PGC participants from 2003.The first course will be for 20 students and will last 40 days; it is planned to start in March 2004 at the Fudan University. The plan is to enroll students from other parts of China for the following courses. The first course will be given in Chinese and material will be translated beforehand. Local teachers will be invited to give lectures and guest lecturers could be invited.
The exams will be in three parts, and participants will get a certificate from the Fudan University.
The top level students could come to Geneva for their further training.

Indonesia: The course will be given in collaboration with the University of Indonesia, Jakarta. The teaching language will be English.
Because of the geographical situation of Indonesia, it is difficult to have all participants together for a long period. For this reason, the course will be in two parts. The first part will be for 1 week and participants will be attending lectures in Jakarta. This will be followed by a 4 weeks e-learning programme with interaction between participants and lecturers. At the end of each module, there will be an intermediate test. The final 3-part exam will be held in Jakarta at the end of the course
The course is planned for 21 October 2003 with approximately 20 participants to be enrolled (see Postgraduate Research Training in Reproductive Health - Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia).

Romania: The course is planned for March 2004 in collaboration with the East European Institute for Reproductive Health. The course will be held in Romanian and teaching material will be translated beforehand. The systematic reviews, as part of the students' exams, will be written in English.
Duration: there will be block courses of 2 weeks each, including workshop and personal work.
The course will be a joint activity of 9 universities and will be accredited by the College of Physicians.

Italy: The Course will be organized in collaboration with the University of Parma, for residents in Obstetrics and Gynecology. There will be 1 week of intensive course per year with bimonthly seminars; 4 to 5 students will be enrolled each year.
Date: early 2004. Tutors will be teachers from universities in Italy, GFMER and WHO. The requirement for the accreditation will be established by the local authorities.
Goal: a publishable research paper and an additional certificate.

Argentina: The course will be held in collaboration with the Centro Rosarino De Estudios Perinatales (CREP) in Rosario. There will be an introductory lecture for each module, followed by e-learning , with a question and answer session after each module. The course is scheduled to start in June/July 2004; with the modules being held over the following 4-5 months. Exams will be at the end of the course.

Cameroun: After discussions between Prof A Campana, GFMER and Prof Doh, University of Yaounde, it was decided to follow the structure of the Geneva course in Yaoundé; provisional dates: early 2004.

International Steering Committee for the course (ISC)

There will be 2 representatives from each centre forming the ISC who will oversee the global activities of the Network and will be involved in the evaluation of the students.

Nominated Representatives:

Argentina: G Carroli and JM Nardin
Cameroun: A Doh and R Leke
China: J Chen
GFMER: A Campana and R Kulier
IAMANEH: D Woods
Indonesia: B Affandi
Italy: M Merialdi
Romania: M Horga
WHO: J Villar and AM Gülmezoglu

Funding

Different approaches were discussed:

Limited funds from IAMANEH (together with its national sections) may be available

To introduce fees for students (e.g. Indonesia) and the possibility to approach the private sector to support students

Joint application of all centres for sponsorship to international organizations, Swiss institutions, etc.

Detailed budgets from the participating centres are to follow

Further steps

Indonesia: Prof. Affandi will write a formal proposal for the course in Jakarta

For all centres: to prepare the list of lecturers / lecture plan.

Text prepared by Regina Kulier

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Edited by Aldo Campana,