Prepared for Practice
Prepared for Practice (PfP) seeks to address Somaliland’s health workforce crisis through an integrated approach to health education system reform. The project has three strategic aims:
- Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in medical, nursing and midwifery schools
- Strengthen the capacity of lecturers and management of medical, nursing and midwifery schools
- Strengthen national governance and management of education for health professionals
PfP is managed by King's Global Health Partnerships in partnership with THET, Medicine Africa and the Somaliland government. Programme activities, from the development and delivery of courses, to curriculum development and technical assistance, are delivered by a network of over 150 volunteers who take time out of their work at the NHS and UK university sector to make this work possible.
Improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in medical, nursing and midwifery schools
UK health workers deliver weekly, online tutorials at three of the country’s leading health schools – Hargeisa, Amoud and Edna Adan universities, to complement and address gaps in the curriculum. Online courses are delivered through MedicineAfrica, a digital educational platform, covering core subject areas in internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, radiology, mental health, communications skills, nursing and midwifery. UK health workers also oversee the conduct of written and practical exams, ensuring only those students that are ready enter the health system.
Strengthening the capacity of lecturers and management of medical, nursing and midwifery schools
At an institutional level, the King's Somaliland Partnership is building the capacity of higher education personnel. UK volunteers with expertise in educating health professionals design and deliver a one, two and three year course in Health Professions Education, enabling lecturers to develop knowledge and skills in pedagogy, lesson planning and designing student assessments.
Strengthening national governance and management of education for health professionals
PfP supports the Somaliland government in developing national Medical Education Policy, which outlines how government, regulators, and universities can collaborate to produce a well-trained medical workforce. We also support independent assessment of medical schools, ensuring institutions training health workers meet an internationally recognised standard for medical education.
UK volunteers with expertise in curriculum design work with national partners to design a new 6-year curriculum, putting in place a national standard for the knowledge and skills medical students should gain.
