2009 Fellow Highlights Archive

Mubuuke Gonzaga, B.Sc.
Assistant Lecturer
Makerere University
Kampala, Uganda

Elsie Kiguli-Malwadde, M.B.Ch.B., M.Med.
Associate Professor, Department of Radiology
Makerere University
Kampala, Uganda

Congratulations to Mubuuke Gonzaga (SAFRI 2009) and Elsie Kiguli-Malwadde (PHIL 2005), on the following publication:

Gonzaga MA, Kiguli-Malwadde E, Francis B, Rosemary B. Current knowledge, attitudes and practices of expectant women toward routine sonography in pregnancy at Naguru Health Centre, Uganda. Pan African Medical Journal [Internet]. 2009;3(18). Available from http://www.panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/3/18/full

Mr. Gonzaga will also represent Makerere University's College of Health Sciences at a conference on problem-based learning in medical education to be held in February 2010 at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.

Congratulations to Enoch Kwizera (PHIL 2007), who has joined the Senate of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA), the national certification agency for postgraduate training, as an Associate of the College of Clinical Pharmacologists.

Congratulations to Vanessa Burch (PHIL 2001), Co-Director of the Southern Africa-FAIMER Regional Institute (SAFRI), who is a 2009 recipient of a National Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award. Dr. Burch is one of four awardees selected from educators at public higher education institutions across South Africa. The Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of South Africa (HELTASA), in collaboration with the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC), presented the awards at the annual HELTASA conference, held November 25, 2009, at the University of Johannesburg. As part of her award, Dr. Burch was invited to give a presentation during a plenary session at the conference.

Congratulations to Jyoti Nagmoti (PSG 2007), who was elected to a three-year term as an Executive Council member of the Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists.

Congratulations to Ashwini Appaji (PSG 2008) on her selection as a member of the Medical Education Cell at M.S. Ramaiah Medical College in Bangalore, India. Dr. Appaji has also recently been promoted from Lecturer to Assistant Professor.

Congratulations to Amol Dongre (PSG 2008) on the following publication:

Dongre AR (PSG 2008), Deshmukh PR, Garg BS. Using the ‘transect walk’ as a public health teaching and learning tool [Abstract]. Medical Education. 2009;43(11):1093-1094.

Another paper, entitled “Portfolio-Based Approach for Teaching Community Medicine Among Medical Undergraduates and Assessment of Their Learning in a Medical College of Rural India,” has been accepted for publication in the South East Asian Journal of Medical Education.

Congratulations to Rashmi Kusurkar (GSMC 2006) on the following recent publication:

Kusurkar R (GSMC 2006), Kruitwagen C, ten Cate O, Croiset G. Effects of age, gender and educational background on strength of motivation for medical school. Advances in Health Sciences Education [Internet]. 2009 Sep 23. Available from: http://springerlink.com/content/v56l457623383083/

In October 2008, Dr. Kusurkar joined the Center for Research and Development of Education at the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands. As a Researcher in Education there, Dr. Kusurkar is focusing on motivation in students to attend medical school. She is pursuing her Ph.D. in Medical Education concurrently.

Dr. Kusurkar credits her FAIMER fellowship with providing direction for her research.

Congratulations to Gboyega Ogunbanjo (PHIL 2007) on his recent appointment as Head of Department, Family Medicine and Primary Health Care at the University of Limpopo (Medunsa Campus), South Africa. Professor Ogunbanjo has also been elected Senior Vice President of the Senate of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) for the next triennium.

Congratulations to Alwyn Louw (SAFRI 2008) on placing first in the Medical Teacher poster prizes at the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) 2009 conference. Alwyn’s poster, entitled “Refinement of the interdisciplinary foundation phase in an undergraduate health sciences curriculum based on initial perspectives of students and lecturers,” was developed in collaboration with Juanita Bezuidenhout (PHIL 2005), Ben van Heerden (PHIL 2006), and M. van Heusden, all of Stellenbosch University in South Africa. The poster deals with the findings of Alwyn's SAFRI curriculum innovation project.

Suresh Chari, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Medical Education and Technology
N.K.P. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre
Nagpur, India

Sushil Pande, M.B.B.S., M.D.
Assistant Professor of Dermatology
N.K.P. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre
Nagpur, India

Suresh Chari (GSMC 2009), Sushil Pande (GSMC 2009), and other Department of Medical Education and Technology (MET) colleagues co-conducted a one-day workshop on administrative skills for professors and associate professors at N.K.P. Institute of Medical Sciences in Nagpur, India. Twenty-five educators actively participated in the program and feedback was very positive.

In addition, on behalf of the MET department, Sushil Pande and other MET colleagues conducted half-day sessions on research methods and related issues for new residents during their three-day orientation program. The program was very much appreciated by residents as it will help them prepare more effectively for conducting dissertation projects.

Congratulations to Sujata Kanhere (GSMC 2006), who recently completed a three-month advanced International Clinical Fellowship in Pediatric Neurology from Leicester Royal Infirmary of the University Hospitals of Leicester, National Health Services (NHS) Trust, and University College London (UCL) Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, NHS Trust, in the United Kingdom.

Congratulations to Dinesh Badyal (CMCL 2007) on the publication of his CMCL-FAIMER project in the April 2009 issue of Alternatives to Laboratory Animals, the journal of the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments:

Badyal DK, Modgill V, Kaur J (CMCL 2009). Computer simulation models are implementable as replacements for animal experiments. Alternatives to Laboratory Animals. 2009;37(2):191-195.

Congratulations to Praveen Iyer (GSMC 2007) who presented his FAIMER innovation project, entitled “Current Postgraduate Medical Curriculum in Anatomy: Perception of Postgraduate Students and Teachers of Anatomy,” at the 56th National Conference of the Anatomical Society of India, held in December 2008 at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India.

Congratulations to Tejinder Singh (PHIL 2003), who was recently invited to join the Editorial Board of the Medical Education section of the International Journal of Surgery.

Congratulations to Mangala Subramanian (GSMC 2009), who recently conducted a session on educational objectives at a workshop on Training of Trainers (TOT) at Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre in Bangalore, India. Also serving as instructors in the workshop were FAIMER Regional Institute Fellows Komaladevi Sampath Damodar (PSG 2008) and Jayalakshmi Lingaraj (PSG 2009). Sessions at the workshop were very interactive and all of the participants were highly appreciative.

Congratulations to Biplab Jamatia (CMCL 2009) who recently earned his Postgraduate Diploma in Distance Education from the School of Education, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, India.

Congratulations to Feroze Kaliyadan (PSG 2008) on his appointment to the position of Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi, India. Dr. Kaliyadan has also been selected to serve as a reviewer for the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology.

Congratulations to Angel Magar (CMCL 2009), who served as a member of the Scientific Subcommittee on "Modern Trends in Medical Education" in Kathmandu, Nepal, January 30 – February 1, 2009. As part of his activities, Dr. Magar presented the following papers: "Mini Clinical Evaluation Exercise (mini-CEX)," "Microteaching," and "Careers in Medical Education." Dr. Magar highlighted the FAIMER fellowship programs as a potential opportunity for those who wish to pursue a career in medical education. In recognition of his efforts, Dr. Magar was honored by the President of the Federal Republic of Nepal, the Right Honorable Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, as well as Kathmandu University Vice Chancellor, Dr. Suresh Raj Sharma.

Following his work on the subcommittee, Dr. Magar participated in key health professions conferences in Nepal, where he advocated strongly for improvements in academic medicine. He took part in the 24th All Nepal Medical Conference, April 15–17, 2009, in Kathmandu, where he presented papers on "Need of Medical Educationist in Nepal," "Good Editorial Practice," and "How to Edit Scientific Papers in English — Daily Editorial Work." In addition, Dr. Magar attended the Regional Meeting of the South Asia Forum for Health Research, June 4–5, 2009, in Kathmandu, where he presented a paper on "Life as an Editor: Nepalese Perspective," and led a session on journalism in medical education. The session addressed the topic of improving scientific research and writing to advance academic medicine.

Congratulations to Amrita Mishra (CMCL 2009) on her recent appointment to the position of Chief Coordinator of Research by the Director of Ayurved in the state of Maharashtra in India. The scope of the position encompasses research in medical education. Dr. Mishra will be working with the deans of medical colleges in the state of Maharashtra, beginning with integrated teaching as the first step in introducing medical education into the Ayurved Fraternity.

Congratulations to Baranitharan Ramamoothy (PSG 2008) on his recent appointment to the position of Vice Principal at the PSG College of Physiotherapy in Coimbatore, India.

Congratulations to Saira Banu (PSG 2007) on her short-term assignment as a Surveillance Medical Officer under the National Polio Surveillance Project. This position is with the World Health Organization, Country Office for India. The place of posting is Ernakulam, in the state of Kerala.

Saira’s new assignment will give her an opportunity to learn and apply field epidemiology. She reports that she is realizing (with gratitude!) how to lead her team by applying skills like team building, conflict management, planning and program evaluation, acquired through the FAIMER leadership program, and that every day has been a new learning opportunity.

Congratulations to A. M. Ciraj (CMCL 2008), who attended the 6th International Medical Education Conference, held April 1–3, 2009, at International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The theme of the conference was "Reflections on Innovations." Dr. Ciraj presented a paper on "Effectiveness of PBL in a hybrid curriculum: Faculty and student perceptions." The study was conducted as a part of his curriculum innovation project during his fellowship at the CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute.

Congratulations to Vinod Pallath (GSMC 2008), who presented a paper entitled "Tangible Impact of Curricular Reforms on Students' Perceptions of Educational Environment," at the International Medical Education Conference held at International Medical University, Malaysia, in April 2009. Vinod reports that this paper is based on work connected to his FAIMER project.

Congratulations to Noor Ahsen (PHIL 2006), who joined the new Shalamar Medical & Dental College in Lahore, Pakistan, as Director of Medical Education and Head of Community Medicine. In addition to designing a series of training sessions and workshops for faculty development, Dr. Ahsen is involved in the development of a Centre for Cognitive, Affective, and Psycho-Motor Skills as well as a Centre for Health and Education Research.

As a benefit to incoming students, Dr. Ahsen is also participating in the development of an online medical education platform that would allow students to upload assignments, access web resources, and utilize other online communication tools.

Congratulations to Surapaneni Krishna Mohan (CMCL 2009), who was recently selected as an International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) Young Scientist. As a recipient of this award, Dr. Mohan received a cash prize of $800 and was invited to present at the Young Scientist Program (YSP), 21st IUBMB and 12th FAOBMB (Federation of Asian and Oceanic Biochemists and Molecular Biologists) International Congress of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, held July 30–August 7, 2009, in Shanghai, China.

Dr. Mohan is also the recipient of an International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Fellowship to attend Euromedlab 2009 at the 18th IFCC–EFCC (European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine) National Congress of the Austrian Society of Laboratory Medicine and Clinical Chemistry, held June 7–June 11, 2009, in Innsbruck, Austria. As a recipient of this award, Dr. Mohan received a cash prize of €500 for his presentation at the congress.

Congratulations to Chinmay Shah (GSMC 2008) on the following recent publication:

Shah C, Trivedi RS, Diwan J, Dixit R, Anand AK. Common stressors and coping of stress by medical students. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. 2009;3(4):1621-1626.

Congratulations to Supten Sarbadhikari (PSG 2007) on his election as Chair of the Education Committee of HL7 India. HL7 India is the Indian affiliate of Health Level Seven Incorporated, a standards developing organization that operates in the health care arena and deals with clinical and administrative data. As Chair of the Education Committee, Supten reports that he will be involved in spreading awareness of health information interchange standards for better health care delivery and education across India and neighboring countries.

Supten has also been awarded one of two globally available scholarships to participate in the Postgraduate Module in E-Health offered by the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom. The module is a web-based program designed to provide students with an understanding of how information and communication technologies can be used in population health needs assessment and to support patient groups and communities.

Congratulations to Vanessa Burch (PHIL 2001) on her inaugural lecture as professor of clinical medicine at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Department of Medicine. Vanessa is the first female professor of clinical medicine in the 89-year history of the UCT Department of Medicine. Her lecture, which was featured in the April 2009 issue of the UCT faculty newsletter, was entitled Health Care in South Africa Today and focused on the challenges facing South Africa in meeting the United Nations 2015 Millennium Development Goals.

Congratulations to Juanita Bezuidenhout (PHIL 2005), who contributed two chapters to the following recently published textbook:

Schaaf HS, Zumla AI, editors. Tuberculosis: A Comprehensive Clinical Reference. Philadelphia: Saunders/Elsevier; 2009.

Congratulations to Jose Cueto (PHIL 2002), who was recently appointed to the Board of Medicine of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) of the Philippines. The PRC establishes the standards and governs the licensing for 42 areas of professional practice in the Philippines, including medicine and other health care fields.

Congratulations to Arun Jamkar (PHIL 2004) on his recent appointment as Dean of B.J. Medical College, Pune, in India!

Congratulations to Dr. Rakesh Mittal (CMCL 2009), who was elected Secretary of the Belgaum Branch of the Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists of India (APPI) and selected as a Member of the Belgaum Branch of the Advisory Committee of the Indian Pharmacological Society (IPS).

Congratulations to Leilanie Nicodemus (PHIL 2007) on her recent appointment as Chair of the Specialty Board in Family Medicine in the Philippines!

Congratulations to Yinusa Raji (PHIL 2007), who was recently awarded an associateship as part of the TWAS-UNESCO Associateship Scheme at Centers of Excellence in the South. TWAS (formerly the Third World Academy of Sciences) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established the associateship in 1994 to counter the emigration of much-needed health care workers affecting many developing countries. The program enables health professionals from developing countries to collaborate with fellow researchers at one of more than 100 participating institutions known as "centers of excellence." As an Associate, Yinusa will collaborate with the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The associateship lasts three years and includes up to two visits of approximately three months each to the Shanghai Institutes.

Yinusa has also been nominated by his home institution, the University of Ibadan, College of Medicine, to take on an important role in the newly approved Masters in Biomedical Education Methods program. Yinusa will be developing instructional materials for the program as well as teaching.

Congratulations to Neena Sawant (GSMC 2007) on the publication of her second book, titled Chahul Tarunyachi. Published by Phulrani Prakashan and written in the Marathi language for the general public, Chahul Tarunyachi deals with day-to-day emotional and behavioral issues in adolescents.

Congratulations to Praveen R Singh (CMCL 2008) on receiving his Ph.D. in Anatomy from Pramukhswami Medical College in Karamsad, Gujarat, India.

Congratulations to Jacqueline van Wyk (PHIL 2004) on earning her Ph.D. in Education from the University of KwaZulu-Natal!

Congratulations to Reem Rachel Abraham (PSG 2007) on receiving the 2009 Sir Shriram Memorial Award from the National Academy of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. The award was presented in recognition of the following publication:

Abraham RR, Kamath A, Upadhya S, Ramnaravan K. Learning approaches to physiology of undergraduates in an Indian medical school. Medical Education. 2006;40(9):916-923.

Dr. Abraham also recently received an International Union of Physiological Sciences (IUPS) 2009 Congress Travel Award from the American Physiological Society and an IUPS-Fenn Fund Award to travel to the 36th IUPS Congress in Kyoto, Japan, July 27–August 1, 2009.

In addition, Dr. Abraham recently published the following articles:

Abraham RR, Raghavendra R, Surekha K, Asha K. A trial of the objective structured practical examination in physiology at Melaka Manipal Medical College, India. Advances in Physiology Education. 2009;33:21-23.

Thomas BS, Abraham RR, Alexander M, Ramnarayan K. Students’ perceptions regarding educational environment in an Indian dental school. Medical Teacher. 2009; 31(1).

Congratulations to Ezera Agwu (SAFRI 2009), who was recently awarded a Ph.D. degree in Medical Microbiology and Immunology from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.

Congratulations to Dr. Anshu (CMCL 2007), who was an invited guest speaker at continuing medical education workshops organized as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Medical Council of India at Mahatma Gandhi Mission (MGM) Medical College, Navi Mumbai, and Sumandeep Vidyapeeth University, Vadodara. She also recently helped organize a workshop on microteaching at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (MGIMS) in Sevagram, and served as Executive Member on the Organizing Committee of the International Update on Excellence in Medical Education for the Best of Health Care to the Under-Served, held September 12–13, 2008, at MGIMS.

Dr. Anshu has also started a Medical Education Blog, focusing on issues in India. To visit, please go to www.mededblog.com.

Congratulations to Elaine Bezerra (PHIL 2008), who was appointed to the position of Vice Coordinator of the medical program at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte in Natal, Brazil.

Congratulations to Avinash Supe (PHIL 2002), Director of the GSMC-FAIMER Regional Institute, who was recently elected President of the Indian Chapter of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association. His term will run from 2011 through 2013.

Dr. Supe was also recently appointed to the editorial advisory board of The Clinical Teacher, a joint Wiley-Blackwell / Association for the Study of Medical Education publication focusing on topics of practical interest to the everyday clinical educator.

Congratulations to Sarmishtha Ghosh (GSMC 2007) on the following publications:

Ghosh S, Pandya HV (CMCL 2007). Implementation of integrated learning program in neurosciences during first year traditional medical course: perception of students and faculty. BMC Medical Education. 2008;8:44.

Pandya H, Ghosh S. Sensitizing faculty to the problem-oriented approach as an instructional method: experience of a brief faculty development workshop. National Medical Journal of India. 2008;21(5):243-245.

Singh S (CMCL 2008), Ghosh S, Pandya H. Foundation course for MBBS students at entry level: experience at an Indian medical school. South East Asian Journal of Medical Education. 2007;1(1):33-37.

Congratulations to Himanshu Pandya (CMCL 2007), who was recently appointed Head of the Postgraduate Academic Unit at Pramukhswami Medical College in Karamsad, Gujarat, India. He was also chosen as 2008 Shrimad Jesingbapa Sadguru Rotating Lecturer by the Association of Physicians of Gujarat in recognition of contributions to the field of medical education.

Throughout 2008, Dr. Pandya was an invited participant in workshops and conferences devoted to health professions education, including the following:

• A faculty development workshop at Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, India, in June
• International Update on "Excellence in Medical Education for the Best of Health Care to Underserved" at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, India, in September
• National Workshop on "Teaching Learning Methods in Health Professions Education" at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, in November
• Workshop on Evaluation Methodology at Government Medical College, Bhavnagar, in Bhavnagar, India, in November

Recent publications include the following:

Ghosh S (GSMC 2007), Pandya HV. Implementation of integrated learning program in neurosciences during first year of traditional medical course: perception of students and faculty. BMC Medical Education. 2008;8:44.

Pandya H, Ghosh S. Sensitizing faculty to the problem-oriented approach as an instructional method: experience of a brief faculty development workshop. National Medical Journal of India. 2008;21(5):243-245.

Singh S (CMCL 2008), Ghosh S, Pandya H. Foundation course for MBBS students at entry level: experience at an Indian medical school. South East Asian Journal of Medical Education. 2007;1(1):33-37.

Congratulations to Amol Dongre (PSG 2008) on the following publication:

Dongre AR, Deshmukh PR, Garg BS. Process documentation of health education interventions for school children and adolescent girls in rural India. Education for Health. 2009;22(1). Epub 18 May 2009.

Amol has also been invited to facilitate a session during a state-level workshop on medical education to be held in Dhule in July.

Congratulations to Sujata Kanhere (GSMC 2006), who was selected to give an oral presentation at the 46^th National Conference of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (PEDICON 2009), which took place in January in Bangalore. The presentation was titled "Curriculum changes in pediatrics driven by student and faculty feedback," and stems from Sujata’s FAIMER Fellowship Project research work. Sujata also gave an invited talk on "Approach to stroke in children" at the conference.

Congratulations to Coralie Dimacali (PHIL 2008), who was appointed Secretary-General for the First International Conference on Education in the Health Sciences (ICEHS), held October 1-3, 2008, at the University of the Philippines as a part of the university’s centennial celebrations. Coralie took part in a symposium on "Methods of Student Evaluation" and gave a talk on the subject of "Objective Structured Oral Examination."

Additionally, Coralie served as Chair of the Scientific Committee at the 42nd Annual Convention of the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC), held January 22-24, 2009, at the University of the Philippines. The conference was attended by more than 200 medical educators from throughout the country. Coralie delivered a talk on "Teaching and Evaluating Clinical Skills" during a symposium on "Enriching the Curriculum."

Congratulations to Venkatesh Doreswamy (PHIL 2007) on his recent appointment to serve on Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins Publishers’ South Asia Advisory Board for Physiology.

Venkatesh has also been nominated for the following positions:

• Peer reviewer for MedEdPORTAL of the American Association of Medical Colleges
• Member of the National Scientific Advisory Committee of the Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists of India.

Congratulations to Naranchimeg Sodovsuren (PHIL 2006) who was appointed Head of the new Department of Clinical and Communication Skills at the School of Medicine, Health Sciences University of Mongolia in December 2008. Naranchimeg is also leading a faculty development program at the university and is serving as an advisor to the school’s Medical Education Unit, where she is implementing FAIMER methodologies.

Congratulations to Bharti Uppal (CMCL 2008), whose poster on "Inventory of Learning Styles in a Medical School" was selected for presentation at a continuing medical education conference on "Problem-oriented Learning in Physiology and Biochemistry," held February 21, 2009, at Dayanand Medical College in Ludhiana, India.

Congratulations to Dinesh Badyal (CMCL 2007) on the publication of his book:

Badyal D. Practical Manual of Pharmacology. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.; 2008.

Dr. Badyal has also been elected to serve as editor for The Clinical Researcher, the official quarterly online journal of the Clinical Research Board.

Congratulations to Henry Campos (PHIL 2002), Co-director of the Brazil-FAIMER Regional Institute, on his recent appointment as Vice Rector at the Universidade Federal do Ceará in Fortaleza, Brazil!

Congratulations to Harpreet Kapoor (CMCL 2006, PHIL 2008), who was recently invited to conduct a workshop on project cycle management for partner organizations in Bangladesh of the Christian Blind Mission (CBM), an organization that supports more than 1,000 programs in 117 countries in providing medical services, education, and rehabilitation for people with disabilities.

Congratulations to Ramji Singh (GSMC 2006) on receiving the Best Teacher Award from the Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists of India (APPI). The award was presented on December 28, 2008, during the APPI Annual Conference held at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore.

Tejinder Singh, M.D., D.N.B., F.I.A.P., Masters Distance Education
Professor of Pediatrics and Vice Principal
Christian Medical College, Ludhiana
Ludhiana, India

Daljit Singh, M.D.
Principal and Professor
Department of Pediatrics
Dayanand Medical College and Hospital
Ludhiana, India

Congratulations to Tejinder Singh (PHIL 2003), Director of the CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute in Ludhiana, India, and Daljit Singh (PHIL 2004) on the publication of the third edition of their book:

Singh T, Gupta P, Singh D. Principles of Medical Education. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.; 2009.

Congratulations to Mobeen Iqbal (PHIL 2006) on his recent promotion to Associate Dean, Medical Education at Shifa College of Medicine in Islamabad, Pakistan!

The December 2008 issue of Education for Health features an interview with Sarah Kiguli (PHIL 2004), who reflects on past experiences and shares her plans for the future. Sarah’s interview can be found in:

Westberg J. Making a difference: an interview with Sarah Kiguli. Education for Health. 2008;21(3).

As part of the celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of the Medical Council of India, Dr. Chinmay Shah (GSMC 2008) organized a Workshop on Evaluation Methodology, held November 29 at the Government Medical College, Bhavnagar. The idea for the event grew out of Dr. Shah’s work on faculty training as part of his GSMC-FAIMER Institute Fellowship. Included among faculty at the workshop were Avinash Supe (PHIL 2002), Himanshu Pandya (CMCL 2007), and Chetna Desai (CMCL 2007). The workshop was a great success, and many of the 215 participants expressed a desire to hold similar workshops semiannually in the future.

Congratulations to Richard Odoi Adome (PHIL 2006), who was recently appointed Dean of the School of Health Sciences, Makerere University. The School of Health Sciences is one of four schools that comprise the Makerere University College of Health Sciences, an expansion of the university’s former Faculty of Medicine. In his new position, Richard will oversee the Department of Pharmacy, the Department of Dentistry, the Department of Nursing, and the Department of Allied Health Sciences.

Congratulations to Noor Ahsen (PHIL 2006), who was recently awarded an Executive Endeavor Award for enhanced professional development by the Australian government. Noor will complete a one-month fellowship in March 2009 with the Medical Education department of the University of New South Wales, Sydney. The focus of her fellowship will be studying and observing different instructional methodologies, such as problem-based learning, interactive sessions, and teaching at peripheral sites as part of community-oriented medical education. These methodologies will be linked to student assessment mechanisms such as portfolio exams and OSCEs.

Congratulations to Wagdy Talaat (PHIL 2007), who has been selected to serve as a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Accreditation Board of the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) Region. As a member of this board, he will be involved in the accreditation of all health professions education institutions in the EMRO Region, which extends from Morocco in the west to Pakistan and Iran in the east.

In addition, Wagdy’s FAIMER education innovation project, entitled "The diploma of health professions education through distance learning," and a related project, entitled "The joint Master of Health Professions Education between Maastricht and Suez Canal Universities," were named Best Educational Projects in Higher Education in Egypt by the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education through the Higher Education Enhancement Projects Fund (HEEPF). In recognition of his achievement, Wagdy delivered a presentation to the Minister of Higher Education, the President of the Supreme Council of Egyptian Universities, and the World Bank, in which he highlighted the role of FAIMER and described the reasons behind the projects’ success and sustainability.

Congratulations to Elsie Kiguli-Malwadde (PHIL 2005) on the following recent publication:

Mubuuke AG, Kiguli-Malwadde E, Byanyima R, Businge F. Evaluation of community based education and service courses for undergraduate radiography students at Makerere University, Uganda. Rural and Remote Health. 2008;8(4):976.

David Cameron, M.B.Ch.B., M.Prax.Med., M.Phil. (Palliative Medicine)
Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa

Marietjie van Rooyen, M.B.Ch.B., M.Med.
Senior Lecturer, Department of Family Medicine
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa

Congratulations to David Cameron (PHIL 2005) and Marietjie van Rooyen (PHIL 2006), who, along with several of their colleagues from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, recently received an Education Innovation Award from their university. Their curriculum innovation, entitled "From Boring Lectures to Buzzing Groups – Was it Worth It?" transformed a five-week module on Primary Care in year 5 of the M.B.Ch.B. undergraduate curriculum from teacher-centered didactic lectures to student-centered experiential learning using reciprocal peer teaching.

Congratulations to Ahuka Ona Longombe (PHIL 2003), who recently received his Master of Health Professions Education (M.H.P.E.) degree from Maastricht University in the Netherlands!

In addition to her work in faculty development for the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Professor Rita Sood (PHIL 2005) has been involved in a number of activities at the national level in India. At present, she is leading a group for the development of curriculum in Internal Medicine for undergraduates and postgraduates as well as serving as a member of another group for the development of curriculum in Family Medicine, both for the Medical Council of India. She is also serving as a temporary advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) on the "Expert group meeting for the review and finalization of the module on teaching of ethics in undergraduate medical curriculum" in WHO South East Asia Regional Office countries. In addition, she is a member of a team formed by WHO for developing a module for the training of undergraduate medical students in medical certification of cause of death, a potentially significant role given the importance of accurate mortality data in establishing health policies.

Congratulations to P. Ravi Shankar (PSG 2007), who was recently selected to serve on the editorial board of BMJ Medical Humanities, an interdisciplinary international journal aimed at enhancing discussion about the nature and purpose of medicine. Ravi also reports the following recent publications:

Shankar PR. A voluntary medical humanities module at the Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal. Family Medicine. 2008;40(7):468-470.

Shankar PR. Basic sciences in South Asia now and then: A personal perspective. South East Asian Journal of Medical Education. 2008;2(1):20-24.

Shankar PR. Medical students and medical teachers learn together: preliminary experiences from Western Nepal. South East Asian Journal of Medical Education. 2008;2(1):79-82.

Shankar PR. Using Case Scenarios and Role Plays to Explore Issues of Human Sexuality. Education for Health. 2008;21(3).

Shankar PR, Dubey AK, Mishra P, Upadhyay DK. Reading habits and attitude toward medical humanities of basic science students in a medical college in Western Nepal. Teaching and Learning in Medicine. 2008;20(4):308-313.