Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (Mar 2019)

Effectiveness of a Comprehensive 4-Week Course in HIV Medicine for Postgraduate Doctors at University of Nigeria: A Preservice Education Initiative

  • Anthea Nwandu MD, MPH,
  • Cassidy Wayne Claassen MD, MPH,
  • David James Riedel MD, MPH,
  • Theresa Madubuko MBBS, DTM&H, MScIH,
  • Ayodotun Olutola MBBS,
  • Eugene Onu MBBS,
  • Chinwe Onyekonwu MBBS, MPH,
  • Emmanuel Nwobi MBBS,
  • Chinwe Chukwuka MBBS

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/2325958219831014
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18

Abstract

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There is a critical shortage of trained human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) providers in resource-limited settings. To strengthen preservice HIV training for postgraduate health care providers, University of Maryland’s Institute of Human Virology and Center for Clinical Care and Research Nigeria collaborated with University of Nigeria to plan and implement a comprehensive 4-week course in HIV medicine. The first course was piloted with 30 postgraduate doctors. Mean objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE), pretest, and posttest scores score were 51%, 53%, and 75%, respectively; follow-up examination at 6 months showed mean score of 74%. In multivariate regression analysis, pretest score was positively associated with posttest score (22.03, P < .001) and OSCE (0.29, P = .04), age negatively associated with pretest score (−0.94, P = .001), and female gender positively associated with OSCE score (6.15, P = .05). Six- and 18-month online surveys revealed trainees continued to apply knowledge and skills gained. North–south university collaborations to develop practicum-based preservice curricula offer a sustainable way to strengthen preservice evidence-based HIV medicine training with long-lasting retention of skills and knowledge.