Evaluation of US Training for the Past 6 Years at ECUREI, the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) Centre of Excellence, Kampala, Uganda

Rationale and Objectives

The objectives of this article are: To explore the impact of the Radiological Society of North America–sponsored “Teach the Teachers” training course and other capacity building interventions (CBIs) on Uganda's ultrasound (US) training capacity; compare performance of students undertaking a modular diploma ultrasound course to the non-modular; and compare performance among various health cadres undertaking US training.

Materials and Methods

The impact of the “Teach the Teachers” training course and other capacity building interventions were evaluated through analysis of the planning, implementation, sustainability, and output of the training center. Comparison of students' performance in the modular and non-modular diploma courses was by a retrospective cohort methodology using odds ratios. Comparison of performance was by analyzing their mean test scores using a paired Student t-test.

Results

To date, 306 students from nine African countries have successfully completed the US diploma training. Fifty (16%) are non-Ugandans. The non-modular cohort has performed better than the modular (OR = 3.2) in the final written examination. The mean test scores for the final written examinations were: 73.4%, 71.9%, 61.2%, and 57% for the doctors, radiographers, assistant physicians, and nurses/midwives, respectively.

Conclusion

The Radiological Society of North America–sponsored “Teach the Teacher's course in US” together with other capacity building interventions have led to an established center of excellence for US training in Uganda.

Key Words: Ultrasound, training, evaluation, Uganda