ACC 2020
UC Rwanda Initiative presented at the 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting for the American College of Cardiology
Original article by Dr. David Pratt
The UC Rwanda Initiative is an academic collaboration between the University of Cincinnati, UC Health, the University of Kigali Teaching Hospital (CHUK), and Rwanda Ministry of Health with the vision to train the next generation of cardiovascular providers in Rwanda. Since 2019, faculty from the University of Cincinnati and collaborators across partnering institutions presented a full complement of core concepts in cardiovascular education to the internal medicine residents at the University of Kigali Teaching Hospital (CHUK) utilizing a virtual-based educational platform. Topics ranged from basic science topics like the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis to clinical topics like cardiac echocardiography and pacemaker implantation. The residents were presented quiz questions before and following each lecture to assess the immediate knowledge retention from the presented topic. Additionally, as lectures were repeated each year for the next incoming resident class, the quiz results were compared from year to year.
The findings were presented at the 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting for the American College of Cardiology in Washington D.C. Over the two year study period, the residents dramatically improved their knowledge in core cardiovascular topics when comparing their quiz results before and after each lecture. Additionally, the quiz results were significantly improved from year to year, suggesting there is retention of the cardiovascular topics with each academic year.
We are incredibly proud of the internal medicine residents for their dedication to learning cardiology and advancing cardiovascular care for Rwandans. The project gives a glimpse into the impact a formal education track can have for trainees in Rwanda, and provides insight into the importance of developing a formal training program. A virtual platform can be an effective way to participate in trainees education.
The UC Rwanda Initiative continues to play an active role in the development of a formal cardiovascular training pathway in Rwanda. Through engagement of the internal medicine residents, the UC Rwanda Initiative demonstrates that virtual education is an effective means to complement the curriculum of trainees abroad.
