Developing an evaluation approach for the in-depth review of a new undergraduate medical programme as a complex system.

Background: A new undergraduate medical programme was instituted at the University of Botswana in 2009. In 2016, the Faculty of Medicine decided to conduct a comprehensive review of the programme. Participants at a planning workshop decided the review had to lead to an in-depth understanding of the programme.

Sociocultural factors affecting first-year medical students' adjustment to a PBL program at an African medical school.

Background: Besides regulatory learning skills, learning also requires students to relate to their social context and negotiate it as they transition and adjust to medical training. As such, there is a need to consider and explore the role of social and cultural aspects in student learning, particularly in problem-based learning, where the learning paradigm differs from what most students have previously experienced. In this article, we report on the findings of a study exploring first-year medical students' experiences during the first semester of an undergraduate problem-based learning medical program at an African medical school.

Design of a Learning Development Program to Support First-Year Undergraduate Medical Students in the Transition to a PBL Curriculum.

Unlabelled: While the evaluation of learning development interventions needs to be considered carefully and included at the curriculum design stage, there is limited literature on the actual design of interventions, especially on how these designs evolve and improve over time. This paper describes the evolution of a learning development program intended to support first-year medical students adjusting to a problem-based learning curriculum. We used a design-based research approach, articulating our theoretical grounding and incorporating students' voices to develop an "optimal" intervention for the specific challenges in our context.

A country-specific FRAX model for Botswana.

Introduction: Hip fracture rates in Botswana were used to create a FRAX® model for fracture risk assessment.

Objective: This paper describes the development and characteristics of a country-specific FRAX model for Botswana.

Methods: Age-specific and sex-specific incidence of hip fracture and national mortality rates was incorporated into a FRAX model for Botswana.

Epidemiology of hip fracture in Botswana.

Unlabelled: A retrospective population-based survey in the Republic of Botswana determined the incidence of fractures at the hip over 3 years. The estimated number of such fractures nationwide for 2020 was 103 and is predicted to increase.

Objective: This article describes the epidemiology of hip fractures in the Republic of Botswana.

Enhancing learning in longitudinal clinical placements in community primary care clinics: undergraduate medical students' voices.

Longitudinal clinical placements are increasingly adopted by medical training institutions. However, there seems to be little evidence regarding their implementation in primary care settings in the developing world. This paper explored medical students' perceptions of their learning experiences in longitudinal placements in primary care clinics.

Using a virtue ethics lens to develop a socially accountable community placement programme for medical students.

Background: Community-based education (CBE) involves educating the head (cognitive), heart (affective), and the hand (practical) by utilizing tools that enable us to broaden and interrogate our value systems. This article reports on the use of virtue ethics (VE) theory for understanding the principles that create, maintain and sustain a socially accountable community placement programme for undergraduate medical students. Our research questions driving this secondary analysis were; what are the goods which are internal to the successful practice of CBE in medicine, and what are the virtues that are likely to promote and sustain them?

Methods: We conducted a secondary theoretically informed thematic analysis of the primary data based on MacIntyre's virtue ethics theory as the conceptual framework.

Protein/Ice Interaction: High-Resolution Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction Differentiates Pharmaceutical Proteins from Lysozyme.

Protein/ice interactions are investigated by a novel method based on measuring the characteristic features of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of hexagonal ice (Ih). Aqueous solutions of four proteins and other solutes are studied using high-resolution synchrotron XRD. Two pharmaceutical proteins, recombinant human albumin and monoclonal antibody (both at 100 mg/mL), have a pronounced effect on the properties of ice crystals, reducing the size of the Ih crystalline domains and increasing the microstrain.

Learning support interventions for Year 1 medical students: a review of the literature.

Context: The journey through medical school can be challenging, especially for undergraduate medical students who must deal with a demanding curriculum, coupled with the demands of transitioning into adulthood. Despite experiencing learning challenges, most students succeed with appropriate learning support. Many medical schools offer learning support programmes, particularly in the latter years, but it has been suggested that such support could be more beneficial, especially during the initial years.

Medical Education in Decentralized Settings: How Medical Students Contribute to Health Care in 10 Sub-Saharan African Countries.

Purpose: African medical schools are expanding, straining resources at tertiary health facilities. Decentralizing clinical training can alleviate this tension. This study assessed the impact of decentralized training and contribution of undergraduate medical students at health facilities.

Establishing a new medical school: Botswana's experience.

Having adequate numbers of qualified human resources for health is essential for any effective health care system. However, there is a global shortage of skilled health care workers, especially in Sub-Saharan African countries. This shortage is exacerbated by a disproportionately high rate of infectious diseases, the burden of emerging chronic, noncommunicable diseases, and the emigration of medical doctors.

Community-based education programs in Africa: faculty experience within the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) network.

Purpose: This paper examines the various models, challenges, and evaluative efforts of community-based education (CBE) programs at Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) schools and makes recommendations to strengthen those programs in the African context.

Methods: Data were gathered from 12 MEPI schools through self-completion of a standardized questionnaire on goals, activities, challenges, and evaluation of CBE programs over the study period, from November to December 2013. Data were analyzed manually through the collation of inputs from the schools included in the survey.

Acceptability of male circumcision among adolescent boys and their parents, Botswana.

Little is known of the acceptability of male circumcision (MC) to adolescent boys, a key target group for HIV prevention. We conducted a cluster design survey among adolescent boys and their parents/guardians in two villages in Botswana. Of 1300 households visited, 398 boys were eligible; 269 boys and 210 parents/guardians participated.

Successful introduction of routine opt-out HIV testing in antenatal care in Botswana.

Background: Botswana has high HIV prevalence among pregnant women (37.4% in 2003) and provides free services for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. Nearly all pregnant women (>95%) have antenatal care (ANC) and deliver in hospital.