MEDICAL STUDENT EDUCATION IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE IN GHANA.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. To determine the effects of emergency medicine rotation on the choice of
residency training program by medical students
2. To determine the uniqueness of emergency medicine rotation compared to
medical school curriculum
3. To determine the effectiveness of a resident driven medical student
education.

BACKGROUND :
Emergency medicine is a relatively new specialty worldwide although established
as a distinct specialty in the United States in 1970 and other areas of the
developed world shortly after. there are only two residency training programmes
in the whole of sub- Saharan Africa.
Ghana started post-graduate specialty training in emergency medicine in 2009
with the first batch of specialist graduating in September 2012. Formal training of
emergency medical technicians and emergency nurses also commenced in 2010.
indicating a country led interest in the development of the specialty of
emergency medicine.
It is well known within the medical fraternity that one can graduate with
distinction from medical school while unable to manage practical clinical
emergency situations. medical schools in the developed world continue to
explore the depth and extent of undergraduate education in emergency
medicine.
Society has a right to expect that all physicians possess basic knowledge of
emergency care and the skills to manage common acute problems. Physicians

are also expected to be able to work effectively with other health care
professionals, and to understand medicines responsibilities for public
education and advocacy.(William p burdick).
The kwame Nkrumah University of science and technology school of medical
sciences in collaboration with Ghana emergency medicine collaborative involved
in emergency medicine residency training in ghana introduced medical students
education in emergency medicine for final year and fourth year clinical students in
2011/2012. The aim was to introduce the students to the specialty as its done in
the developed world since the specialty is totally new to the medical school
curriculum in Ghana and to improve their clinical skills in the management of
emergencies.
Competency in the care of acutely ill and injured patients is one of the
fundamental exit goals of most medical schools as mandated by the Liaison
Committee on Medical Education.(w p burdick)