Title
Educational programs to enhance medical expertise in tropical diseases: The Gorgas Course experience 1996-2001
Date Issued
01 January 2002
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Freedman D.
Plier D.
Vermund S.
Casebeer L.
University of Alabama
University of Alabama
University of Alabama
Publisher(s)
Oxford University Press
Abstract
In 1995, the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) adopted defined criteria for accreditation of clinical training programs in tropical diseases. The first data on the development, enrollment, and outcomes of such a program are presented. A nine-week Diploma course, the Gorgas Course in Clinical Tropical Medicine, given on-site in the tropics (Lima, Cusco, and Iquitos, Peru) has trained 157 individuals from 38 countries from 1996 through 2001. The average age of participants was 38.3 with 11.3 years since graduation. Graduates were 44.5% primary care physicians, 22.2% infectious diseases specialists, 12.7% emergency medicine specialists, 13.5% other specialists, and 7.1% nurses. Residents and fellows accounted for 32.8% and full-time academic faculty for 11.0%. Approximately half of all eligible Gorgas graduates have taken the ASTMH certification examination. In response to the enrollees' profiles and needs, adult learning theory has been extensively used in course design. Stable professional relationships between multiple educational partners are required for an endeavor of this scope.
Start page
526
End page
532
Volume
66
Issue
5
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Medicina tropical
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-0036561194
PubMed ID
Source
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
ISSN of the container
00029637
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción CientÃfica
Scopus