The perceptions of the preparedness of medical graduates to take on internship responsibilities in low resource hospitals in Kenya
Abstract
The Aga Khan University is developing an Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) curriculum for implementation in East Africa in 2016, which aims to serve the health needs of the populations there. Pilot focus group discussions of recent interns were conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi to find out: (1) If Kenyan medical students are adequately prepared for their roles as interns in low resource hospitals upon graduation from medical schools; (2) The likely clinical conditions that interns will face in low resource hospitals in Kenya; and (3) How might the UGME curriculum best prepare interns for their roles in low resource hospital settings? Through focus group discussions, current and recent interns expressed feeling ill prepared for working in low resource settings, unequipped with the clinical skills for the tasks and procedures expected of an intern ,in adequately exposed to obstetrics, paediatrics, emergency medicine and lacking in resuscitation training. These findings will inform the development of the UGME curriculum to ensure learning outcomes that meet stakeholder requirements.