Education, Training and Conferences

Home

ABC Family Health Center

Medical Education & Conferences

Community Health

Monday, September 06, 2010

..:: Medical Education & Conferences ::..

Family Medicine -- Medical Education -- Community Health

www.abchealth.org

Please see our new website: www.abchealth.org (We are no longer updating this site. We are sorry for the inconvenience.)

NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR FAMILY MEDICINE

TRANSFORMATION 2010

29-30 May

Since 2004, ABC Health Foundation and its partners Albanian Health Fund (AHF) and Family Medicine Education International (FMEI) in USA; Partnership in International Medical Education (PRIME) in UK and the Department of Family Medicine of the Medical School in Tirana have provided the only annual forum on family medicine in Albania gathering around 150 general and family physicians all over Albania for a weekend conference ‘Transformation’. Guest speakers have come from USA, UK and Kosova.

The goals of the Transformation conference are to:

1. Encourage and equip general physicians to practice quality primary care based on the principles and practice of family medicine, whole person care and the moral values of medicine.

2. Promote and facilitate life long learning and professional development for primary healthcare professionals.

Each of the annual Transformation conference aims to cover main principles of family medicine through plenary talks that promote a model of competent and compassionate care and a variety of interactive, hands-on seminars on common cases encountered in primary care.

Some of the themes that have been covered during the Transformation 2004-2009 are:

Chronic disease management
Infectious diseases in primary care
Role of general and family physicians in caring for different age-group
The role, competencies and skills of family physicians
The role of family physicians in health education and prevention
Communication skills of family physicians
The role of family physicians in palliative care
Patients’ rights and issues of quality of care in primary care
The importance of continual medical education for family physicians
Beginnings and transformation of family medicine in the UK, USA, etc.

2009_0524mark0008_Edited_small

May_2008_26 Workship_May_2008_50

Please see www.abchealth.org for more information on Transformation.

TRAINING OF MEDICAL STUDENTS IN FAMILY MEDICINE

Final-Year Medical Students

Since 2003, ABC Health Foundation has been running a special training program for final-year medical students of the Medical School in Tirana, aiming to introduce them to primary care and the principles of quality medicine. We reach approx. 20-30 final-year medical students each academic year through the weekly interactive sessions held at the medical school centered on the concepts and practice of the primary care approach to patient care.

ABC Health Foundation provides the opportunity for students to experience the family medicine model of patient care first-hand. The program runs in two parts (mid November to December and mid February to April).

The goals of this training program are to:

1. Introduce final year medical students to the concept and model of primary care and advocate for a career in primary care.

2. Provide opportunities for students to learn the basic skills of the diagnosis and management of some common clinical presentations in primary care.

3. Inspire and equip students to provide care for the whole person and integrate moral values in the practice of medicine

Some of the topics covered through the weekly interactive teaching sessions are:

· Introduction to primary health care

· Sore throat

· Child with fever

· Knee and shoulder pain

· Back pain

· STDs and PID

· Anxiety and depression

· Prenatal care

· Headache

· Child with diarrhea and vomiting

· Skin rashes

· Otoscopy and ear problems

· Thyroid problems

· Acute abdomen

· Laceration repair

· Dealing with emergency cases

Beside the weekly teaching sessions the program offers day-visits for further experience in the Family Health Center.

The second part of the “Patients are coming” 2009-2010 program is now completed.

INTERNSHIP IN PRIMARY CARE

Internship in Primary Care

Since 2002, ABC Health Foundation has continuously run a yearly internship program for one graduate of the Medical School in Tirana, Albania.

This two-year training program focuses on the basics of primary care and the ethical/moral values in medicine. Interns see patients under the supervision of one of the senior family physicians at the health center; participate in weekly teaching sessions of the internship’s program; participate in community health programs; and help with and participate in other training activities of the ABC Health Foundation.

The goals of the internship program are:

1. The understanding and application of the principles of family medicine and primary care.

2. The development of basic skills in consultation, physical examination, differential diagnosis and management of common presentations in primary care.

3. The development of the character of a biblically-based physician

These are a sampling of the areas covered during the internship program:

· The patient-doctor relationship (communication and history-taking skills)

· Physical exam skills

· Preparing a problem list

· Differential diagnosis and management of common presentations in family practice

· Principles of disease management and prescribing

· Referral letters and communications with other specialists

· Principles and basic skills of practice management

· Audit and quality of healthcare services

· Teaching methods

· Leadership development

Applications for the 2010-2011 internship program will start August 2010.