Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is a grant from the Fogarty International Center at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) that funded medical education capacity-building at African institutions across a dozen Sub-Saharan African countries beginning in 2010. MEPI formed a network of more than 30 regional partners, country health ministries, and more than 20 U.S. and foreign collaborators.

Award recipients included institutions in Ethiopia, Kenya, Botswana, and others partnering with universities such as Emory, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Nairobi. Eligible applicants are medical institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Archive: Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Directory of Awards and Collaborating Partners - Fogarty International Center @ NIH Archive: Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Directory of Awards and Collaborating Partners Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) awarded grants in 2010 to African institutions in a dozen countries, forming a network including more than 30 regional partners, country health and education ministries, and more than 20 U.S. and foreign collaborators.

George Washington University , in partnership with the African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation in Kampala, Uganda. Fostering African Medical Education: Community of Excellence University of Botswana , in partnership with Harvard School of Public Health, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Botswana-Harvard Partnership.

Creating Sustainable Medical Education and Health Research Capacity in Botswana Addis Ababa University , in partnership with a consortium of Ethiopian medical schools including Hawassa University, Haremaya Universities, and the Defense Forces Medical Colleges, as well as Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, University of California, San Diego, and University of Wisconsin.

Ethiopia's Medical Education Consortium for Quality Medical Education & Retention University of Nairobi , in partnership with the University of Maryland-Baltimore, the University of Washington and Kenyatta University.

Strengthening Medical Education for Improved Health Outcomes in Kenya Strengthening Maternal, Newborn & Child Health Research Training in Kenya Initiative on Research and Innovation Management Supplement Universidade de Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) , in partnership with University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Universidade Lurio, Universidade Zambeze, the World Health Organization, the Canadian Network for International Surgery and the American College of Surgeons.

The Universidade Eduardo Mondlane/UCSD Medical Education Partnership UEM-UCSD Surgery Partnership University of Ibadan , in partnership with University of Jos, University of Nigeria, University of Maiduguri, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Lagos, the AIDS Prevention Initiative Nigeria Ltd., Northwestern University and the Harvard School of Public Health.

Medical Education Partnership Initiative in Nigeria (MEPIN) Initiative on Research and Innovation Management Supplement Stellenbosch University , in partnership with the University of Cape Town, Makerere University and Johns Hopkins University. Stellenbosch University Rural Medical Education Partnership University of KwaZulu-Natal , in partnership with Columbia University.

Enhancing Training, Research Capacity and Expertise in HIV Care (ENTRÉE) Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) , in partnership with Duke University School of Medicine.

KCMC-Duke Medical Education Partnership Initiative Makerere University , in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, Mbarara University, Kampala International University, Case Western Reserve University, Busitema University, Gulu University, University of Cape Town and Uganda Virus Research Institute.

Medical Education for Services to All Ugandans Building Capacity for Cardiovascular Research and Training in Uganda Initiative on Research and Innovation Management Supplement University of Zambia , in partnership with Vanderbilt University, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Copperbelt University, Cavendish University Zambia, Lusaka Apex Medical University and the University of Maryland.

Expanding Innovative Multidisciplinary Medical Education in Zambia Improving Maternal and Child Health Through Specialty Training in Zambia University of Zimbabwe , in partnership with the University of Colorado-Denver and Stanford University, the University of Cape Town, University College London and King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry and Howard University.

Novel Education Clinical Trainees and Researchers (NECTAR) Program Improving Mental Health Education and Research Capacity in Zimbabwe Program Cerebrovascular, Heart Failure, Rheumatic Heart Disease Interventions Strategy Initiative Initiative on Research and Innovation Management Supplement Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology , in partnership with University of Michigan.

Ghana Emergency Medicine Collaborative Training Program Initiative on Research and Innovation Management Supplement University of Malawi College of Medicine , in partnership with University of North Carolina, University of Cape Town and Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

HIV-associated Malignancies in Malawi Fostering African Medical Education: Community of Excellence Principal Institution: George Washington University Principal Investigator: Mullan, Fitzhugh Collaborating Country: Uganda Collaborators: African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST) Project Description: The purpose of the George Washington University (GW) Coordinating Center (GWCC) Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is for GW to serve as the coordinating center for multiple MEPI programs and linked grantees focused on improving medical education and research in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sub-Saharan Africa has only 3% of the world's health workers yet 24% of the global disease burden, including the world's highest incidence of maternal and child mortality and the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS and malaria. Its 47 countries only have 148 medical schools that graduate an estimated 6,479 physicians every year, resulting in a severely low physician to population ratio of 15/100,000.

We aim to: 1) Provide expert technical support in medical education and research to each program and linked grantee by leveraging our existing partnerships to connect programs with appropriate institutions, organizations, and government leaders; 2) Conduct rigorous, regular evaluations, including formative, summative, and impact evaluations, using validated tools that we will make widely available so schools can improve their programs over the course of the 5-year funding period; 3) Identify research training and technical support needs and link participating schools to training and assistance opportunities for improving their biomedical and behavioral research capabilities, thus motivating researchers and enhancing career options for promising scientists; 4) Coordinate activities to promote a shared mission and relationship-building for MEPI grantees by coordinating face-to-face and virtual meetings with MEPI's multiple stakeholders to build a Community of Excellence in Medical Education and Research in Sub-Saharan Africa; and 5) Build a web-based communications platform to share MEPI outcomes and data to connect stakeholders to the Community of Excellence in Medical Education and Research.

This data system will allow us to collect evaluation data and relevant results and will be a gateway to maximize MEPI's local and global impact. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The shortage of physicians and other health workers in Africa contributes to the striking loss of life as well as poor longevity figures.

HIV/AIDS burdens countries and its treatment requires high functioning health systems with sufficient providers to develop and maintain it. We will increase training, clinical, and research capacity of medical schools with a focus on faculty and graduate retention, to help PEPFAR increase the number of healthcare workers bv 140. 000 to improve health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Funding in entirety by the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC).

Programmatic Award: Creating Sustainable Medical Education and Health Research Capacity in Botswana Principal Institution: University of Botswana Principal Investigator: Nkomazana, Oathokwa Collaborators: Harvard School of Public Health; University of Pennsylvania; Botswana-Harvard Partnership Project Description: A three-institution consortium led by the University of Botswana School of Medicine (UB SOM), along with the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (Penn) and the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) are proposing a transformative approach to problem-based learning and community-oriented medical education in Botswana.

The consortium proposal defines innovative efforts to increase the number of clinicians while creating a healthcare workforce that will sustain a high-quality health care delivery system. Aim 1 seeks to strengthen and expand medical education at the UB SOM.

MEPI support will facilitate the integration of public health education, training at Penn for upper year residents, continuing medical education for clinicians, career development for health professionals, and additional training for SOM faculty. Aim 2 seeks to enhance the teaching platform and care delivery standards within the existing health system to allow for institutional and program accreditation.

Accreditation generates confidence in educational institutions and health professionals. It will encourage young doctors to remain in Botswana to practice and, by establishing a rigorous academic environment, will attract and retain more highly qualified academic faculty. Aim 3 represents a concerted effort to develop local research capacity for biomedical, clinical and health services research.

MEPI support will facilitate student and faculty exchanges for those wishing to conduct research in the basic and clinical sciences. The Health Services Research Unit (HSRU) will be created and will serve as a hub for innovative health services research and multidisciplinary, locally-driven research training at the UB SOM and in the Southern African region.

Aim 4 intends to transform current HIV clinical outreach sites into general medical educational facilities, which enhance learning opportunities for students while improving access to clinical services for high risk populations. Funding in entirety by the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC).

Programmatic Award: Ethiopia's Medical Education Consortium for Quality Medical Education & Retention Principal Institution: Addis Ababa University Principal Investigator: Derbew, Milliard Collaborators: Hawassa University; Haremaya University; Defense Forces Medical School; University of California San Diego (UCSD); Emory University; Johns Hopkins University; University of Wisconsin Project Description: Facing one of the most significant health workforce shortages in sub-Saharan Africa, Ethiopia recently undertook a major expansion of higher education including opening 5 new medical schools and a threefold expansion of class size at existing institutions.

The applicant consortium of Ethiopian medical schools including Addis Ababa, Hawassa, and Haremaya Universities and the Defense Forces Medical Colleges currently trains almost half of the country's medical students.

Through MEPl, this consortium will address 3 strategic objectives: 1) Improvement of the medical education system by increasing the number of physicians and quality of training, 2) Human capacity building and retention through enhanced recruitment and retention of qualified academic medical faculty, and 3) Enhancement of research and bioethics capacity through development of expertise and opportunities to conduct clinical, public health and implementation science research.

They will do so utilizing innovative teaching methods for both medical students and faculty, and by providing additional clinical training opportunities such as sub-specialty fellowships, HIV certificate fellowship for generalists, clinical educator pathways, career mentoring and opportunities for research training and mentorship.

The proposed activities will be undertaken in collaboration with US university partners, will be rolled out in phases, will be rigorously evaluated and will include a consortium of Ethiopian medical schools - all of which should help ensure successful achievement of the above aims with a broad impact.

PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Ethiopia has less than one physician for every 39,000 people and is in the process of trying to rapidly scale up the number of physicians. This project will support new ways of training medical students, improving the quality of their training and provide additional opportunities for medical faculty that may help ensure they stay in Ethiopia to train the future generations of physicians.

Funding in entirety by the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC).

Programmatic Award in NIH RePORTER: Programmatic Award: Strengthening Medical Education for Improved Health Outcomes in Kenya Principal Institution: University of Nairobi Principal Investigator: Kiarie, James Njogu Collaborators: University of Maryland-Baltimore; University of Washington; Kenyatta University NIH Partners: NIH Office of the Director Linked Award in NIH RePORTER: Strengthening Maternal, Newborn & Child Health Research Training in Kenya Principal Institution: University of Nairobi Principal Investigator: Kiarie, James Njogu Collaborator: University of Washington NIH Partners: NIH Office of the Director Programmatic Award in NIH RePORTER: Programmatic Award: The Universidade Eduardo Mondlane/UCSD Medical Education Partnership Principal Institution: Universidade de Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) Principal Investigator: Noormahomed, Emilia Virginia Collaborators: University of California, San Diego (UCSD); Universidade Lurio NIH Partners: NIH Office of the Director Linked Award in NIH RePORTER: UEM-UCSD Surgery Partnership Principal Institution: Universidade de Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) Principal Investigator: Noormahomed, Emilia Virginia Collaborators: University of California, San Diego (UCSD); World Health Organization; Canadian Network for International Surgery; American College of Surgeons NIH Partners: NIH Office of the Director Programmatic Award in NIH RePORTER: Medical Education Partnership Initiative in Nigeria (MEPIN) Principal Institution: University of Ibadan Principal Investigator: Olaleye, David Olufemi Collaborators: University of Jos; University of Nigeria; University of Maiduguri; Ahmadu Bello University; University of Lagos; AIDS Prevention Initiative Nigeria Ltd. Northwestern University; Harvard School of Public Health Programmatic Award: Enhancing Training, Research Capacity and Expertise in HIV Care (ENTRÉE) Principal Institution: Stellenbosch University Principal Investigator: Nachega, Jean Collaborators: University of Cape Town; Makerere University; Johns Hopkins University Project Description: In 2011 selected medical students at University of Stellenbosch (SU) Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) will undergo final year medical training using an innovative problem-oriented, primary care based medical curriculum in our new FHS Rural Clinical School (RCS).

This will improve rural student recruitment, physician retention and distribution, and enhance the ability of our graduates to deal with the high priority health problems of South and Sub-Saharan Africa.

With the University of Cape Town Lung Institute's (UCTLI) nationally implemented PALSA-plus program, and Jhpiego's CCART training program, SU's MEPI initiative (SURMEPI) will adapt the certificate of competence in ART currently offered to sorting students to provide competency for physician training at RCS. This will allow nurses and doctors to work in national and PEPFAR ART services.

CCART training is brief, problem focused, and interactive. It covers HIV/AIDS, ART, TB and respiratory care, and is fully aligned with national evidence based guidelines. CCART for physicians will add pharmacotherapy and infectious diseases to be taught by SUFHS departments as well as pediatric and family centered AIDS care skills from the South2South project.

SUFHS will use the expanded CCART as a test case for modularized, problem focused interprofessional training on other high priority health problems, such as chronic diseases.

With JHU and Makerere College of Health Sciences, SURMEPI will increase evidence appraisal, health care management and health services research content and practice in the training of medical students, postgraduate students and faculty, so that they are better able to conduct clinical research, health services and evaluation research and support program delivery.

At RCS SURMEPI will teach these skills through clinical epidemiological, critical appraisal and health services evaluation projects conducted alongside their HIV/AIDS/ART/TB learning.

CCART, pharmacology, clinical epidemiology and health services research use classroom, group and clinical learning methods- written and illustrated materials, and exercises will be delivered as web mounted downloadable learning modules, which will be shared freely across South and Sub Saharan Africa using Creative Commons licensing.

PUBLICH HEALTH RELEVANCE: University of Stellenbosch Faculty of Health Sciences is reorienting towards primary care of high priority health problems among marginalized South Africans. New accredited courses at our rural clinical school will be fully aligned with the national ART programme and PEPFAR projects.

This is expected to improve physician distribution and retention, their competence for, and participation in PEFAR and national AIDS programs. Learning materials will be shared Africa-wide under Creative Commons licenses. Funding in entirety by the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC).

Programmatic Award in NIH RePORTER: Enhancing Training, Research Capacity and Expertise in HIV Care (ENTRÉE) Principal Institution: University of KwaZulu-Natal Principal Investigator: Lalloo, Umesh G Collaborators: Columbia University NIH Partners: NIH Office of the Director Programmatic Award: KCMC-Duke Medical Education Partnership Initiative Principal Institution: Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre Principal Investigator: Ntabaye, Moshi Collaborators: Duke Global Health Institute Project Description: The Duke-KCMC Medical Education Partnership Initiative The Duke University School of Medicine (DUSOM) and the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College (KCM College) will partner to strengthen medical education in Tanzania, training a new generation of physicians with the knowledge, commitment and modern tools to become leaders in academics, research and policy.

Tanzania has extraordinary needs in health, especially relating to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and is one of the target countries for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President's Malaria Initiative. DUSOM and KCM College have long-standing research collaborations in multiple areas, supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health, PEPFAR and private industry.

DUSOM and KCM College have also partnered in the development of research capacity through multiple awards from the Fogarty International Center (FIC). This award will afford substantial opportunity to enhance medical education at KCM College. A curriculum review will be undertaken to identify methods to strengthen and modernize the KCM College curriculum.

Training in basic and laboratory sciences will be enhanced by leveraging DUSOM's curriculum through the use of an advanced information technology platform. The revised KCM College curriculum will utilize team-based, problem-based and community-based learning methods. A series of faculty workshops will empower the KCM College faculty with these skills and related teaching materials to facilitate their roles as mentors.

Training in research methodology will be expanded within the KCM College medical student curriculum, and medical students, trainees and faculty will be offered the opportunity to compete for funding by designing mentored research projects. One critical challenge in medical education in sub-Saharan Africa is the availability of faculty teaching time.

The MEPI award will address this challenge by incorporating more efficient teaching methods such as team-based learning, and by enabling KCMC faculty with educational materials to use in teaching students, (improved access to on-line resources, case studies, PowerPoint presentations, and teaching objectives).

PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: MEPI will enhance the quality of medical education at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College, resulting in the training of future leaders in academia, research and policy within Tanzania.

The improvements in medical education, in combination with the expertise and resources of the KCMC-Duke Collaboration in research, will support further research of direct relevance to PEPFAR and Tanzanian health care priorities. Funding in entirety by the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC).

Programmatic Award in NIH RePORTER: Medical Education for Services to All Ugandans (MESAU) Principal Institution: Makerere University Principal Investigator: Sewankambo, Nelson K Collaborators: Johns Hopkins University; Mbarara University; Kampala International University; Case Western Reserve University; Busitema University; Gulu University NIH Partners: NIH Office of the Director Linked Award in NIH RePORTER: Building Capacity for Cardiovascular Research and Training in Uganda Principal Institution: Makerere University Principal Investigator: Sewankambo, Nelson K Collaborators: Mbarara University; Case Western Reserve University; Busitema University; Gulu University; University of Cape Town Programmatic Award in NIH RePORTER: Expanding Innovative Multidisciplinary Medical Education in Zambia Principal Institution: University of Zambia Principal Investigator: Mulla, Yakub F Collaborators: Vanderbilt University; University of Alabama-Birmingham; Copperbelt University; Cavendish University Zambia; Lusaka Apex Medical University; University of Maryland NIH Partners: NINR, NIH Office of the Director Linked Award in NIH RePORTER: Improving Maternal and Child Health Through Specialty Training in Zambia Principal Institution: University of Zambia Principal Investigator: Mulla, Yakub F Collaborators: University of Alabama-Birmingham NIH Partners: NIH Office of the Director Programmatic Award in NIH RePORTER: Novel Education Clinical Trainees and Researchers (NECTAR) Program Principal Institution: University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences Principal Investigator: Hakim, James Gita; Barry, Michele; Campbell, Thomas B Collaborators: University of Colorado-Denver; Stanford University; Howard University NIH Partners: NIH Office of the Director Linked Award in NIH RePORTER: Improving Mental Health Education and Research Capacity in Zimbabwe Program Principal Institution: University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences Principal Investigator: Hakim, James Gita Collaborators: University of Cape Town; University College London; King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry Linked Award in NIH RePORTER: Cerebrovascular, Heart Failure, Rheumatic Heart Disease Interventions Strategy Initiative Principal Institution: University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences Principal Investigator: Hakim, James Gita Collaborators: University of Colorado Denver; Stanford University; University of Cape Town NIH Partners: NHLBI, NINDS Pilot Grant in NIH RePORTER: Ghana Emergency Medicine Collaborative Training Program Principal Institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Principal Investigator: Donkor, Peter Collaborator: University of Michigan NIH Partners: NIH Office of the Director Pilot Grant in NIH RePORTER: HIV-associated Malignancies in Malawi Principal Institution: University of Malawi Principal Investigator: Kumwenda, Johnstone Jonny Collaborators: University of North Carolina; University of Cape Town; Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health NIH Partners: NIH Office of the Director download current, free accessible plug-ins from the Adobe's website .

Updated September 25, 2020