1Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
2Department of Surgery, Addis Ababa University, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
J Neurosurg. 2023 Aug 25;140(2):576-584. doi: 10.3171/2023.6.JNS23485. Print 2024 Feb 1.
An adequate healthcare workforce characterizes high-quality health systems. Sustainable domestic neurosurgery training is critical to developing a local neurosurgical workforce in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study evaluated how neurosurgical training is delivered in Ethiopia, provides a historical narrative of neurosurgery training in the nation, and proposes future educational opportunities.
A mixed-methods design consisting of a semi-structured interview and a comprehensive survey was used to acquire data. The interview participants included neurosurgery program directors and faculty involved in resident education. The survey was sent to all current neurosurgery residents in Ethiopia.
Ethiopian neurosurgical service began in 1970, and neurosurgical education started in 2006 with the establishment of the Addis Ababa University (AAU) residency program. The survey response rate was 86%, with 69 of 80 eligible neurosurgery residents responding. Most respondents were male (93%), aged 20-25 years (62%), and enrolled in the AAU program (61%). The oldest medical schools affiliated with tertiary hospitals were the top feeder institutions for neurosurgery training. Seventy-one percent of respondents worked for more than 60 hours/week, and 52% logged at least 100 cases annually. Survey responses demonstrated a critical need to establish subspecialty training and harmonize the national training curriculum.
The history of Ethiopian neurosurgery training exemplifies how global neurosurgery efforts focused on capacity building can rapidly expand the local neurosurgical workforces of LMICs. Opportunities for neurosurgical education require initiatives promoting a subspecialized, diverse workforce that attains both the clinical and academic proficiency necessary for advancing neurosurgical care locally and globally.
高质量的卫生系统以拥有充足的医疗保健人员为特征。可持续的国内神经外科学培训对于在中低收入国家（LMICs）培养当地神经外科人员至关重要。本研究评估了埃塞俄比亚的神经外科培训是如何进行的，提供了该国神经外科培训的历史叙述，并提出了未来的教育机会。
采用混合方法设计，包括半结构化访谈和综合调查，以获取数据。访谈参与者包括参与住院医师教育的神经外科项目主任和教师。调查发送给埃塞俄比亚所有现任神经外科住院医师。
埃塞俄比亚的神经外科服务始于 1970 年，神经外科学教育始于 2006 年，当时亚的斯亚贝巴大学（AAU）的住院医师培训计划成立。调查的回复率为 86%，80 名符合条件的神经外科住院医师中有 69 名回复。大多数受访者为男性（93%），年龄在 20-25 岁（62%），并参加 AAU 计划（61%）。与三级医院相关的最古老的医学院是神经外科培训的主要生源机构。71%的受访者每周工作超过 60 小时，52%的人每年记录至少 100 例病例。调查结果表明，迫切需要建立专科培训并协调国家培训课程。
埃塞俄比亚神经外科培训的历史证明了全球神经外科努力如何集中精力进行能力建设，可以迅速扩大中低收入国家的当地神经外科人员队伍。神经外科学教育的机会需要采取举措，促进专业化、多样化的劳动力，使他们既具备在当地和全球推进神经外科护理所需的临床和学术能力。
