Can UK healthcare workers remotely support medical education in the developing world?: Focus group evaluation.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the feasibility of providing regular, live, text-based teaching to medical students and junior doctors in Somaliland using a dedicated case-based medical education website (www.MedicineAfrica.com).

DESIGN

Review of MedicineAfrica database for details of teaching sessions held in Somaliland from December 2008-October 2010 and evaluation of user experiences through focus groups.

SETTING

King's College Hospital, London, UK and Ahmoud University, Borama, Somaliland.

PARTICIPANTS

Final year medical students, newly graduated interns and second year interns at Ahmoud University, Borama, Somaliland.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Qualitative and quantitative user rating of online case-based tutorials in the context of pre-existing educational opportunities available to them.

RESULTS

Regular online teaching sessions are received enthusiastically by students and junior doctors and are reported to improve their clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite technological limitations in Somaliland, a live text-based teaching service can be delivered effectively and streamlined with local curricula. This represents an alternative to traditional static teaching methodologies currently used in international medical education.