Education Blog!

Continuing Medical Education for Afghan Doctors

Continuing Medical Education (CME) is an important part of a successful medical practice for best patient outcome in any medical setting. CME improves, maintains, and develops professional performance and skills of physicians (Bellos, Bergqvist,　Bockel,　Palombo,　&　Wolfe, 2007). To implement theoretical aspects of medical education into practice after graduation from medical school, doctors need experts’ guidance to deliver quality care as well as add to ones’ own experience. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) gap between classroom learning and problem solving skills in clinical settings can result in medical errors (Speicher and Kehrhahn, 2009). Practicing under instruction of experienced mentors in a specialty field provides new doctors with the opportunity to obtain better patient outcome.

Collaboration in training and CME of medical staff in form of exchanging experience has provided positive outcomes in several national and international academic arrangements. Krym, Retezar, & Scott (2009) studied the impact of international partnership in cultivating emergency medicine (EM) practice in northern Romania, which experts from countries with mature EM systems provided support for growth of EM in Romania via transfer of knowledge. Identifying the scope of operation in every organization is an important step to establish education priorities for medical staff. Recognizing the need for different levels of training and knowledge among staff members in the same organization is also an important step before initiating CME (Speicher and Kehrhahn, 2009).

Krym et al., (2009) identified the importance of cultural diplomacy and sensitivity in delivery of international health education. Cultural and lingual differences in international partnership need to be recognized properly before starting an exchange program with a host country. Willingness of local medical directors and staff is essential to overcome language barriers as well as get familiar with the culture. International partnership in education can be built between healthcare organizations in form of direct meetings as well as distance education. Advanced technology such as telecommunication can promote tele-education and mutual growth between individuals and organizations around the globe.

Healthcare Services in Afghanistan

Decades of war in Afghanistan has destroyed country’s infrastructure which in turn healthcare services as well as education and CME for medical professionals have suffered a remarkable seatback. As cited in Jalal (2009) the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2005 reported that continuous war in Afghanistan has caused disparities in equitable distribution of quality healthcare services in the country. Fragmented healthcare system in Afghanistan has further jeopardized accessibility to essential healthcare services for population in need of such services (Jalal).

Access to basic healthcare for individuals in different parts of the globe is the responsibility of local governments. Promoting individuals’ equitable access to basic healthcare requires collaboration among healthcare providers and healthcare professionals. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2009) has recognized healthcare in 21st century as a shared responsibility that involves equitable access to basic healthcare and collaborative defense against transnational threats. Globalization of healthcare via tele-education is a new trend in delivery of healthcare that could standardize training of healthcare professionals worldwide.

 Problems Caused by Lack of CME

 The problem is that there is no sustainable post graduate CME program for Afghan doctors. Doctors who are involved with treating civilian casualties are overwhelmed with the load of patients arriving at hospitals’ emergency rooms at one time during an explosion or similar situations that result in mass casualties. Barriers due to lack of CME for healthcare professionals in Afghanistan affect the diagnostic and therapeutic qualities. Lack of CME can cause difficulties in patient-doctor interaction and proper diagnostic methods. Training of medical doctors requires not only teaching of professional principles of medical treatment based on patients’ need but understanding of cultural and lingual diversity of patients as well (Krym et al., 2009).

Problems with standardizing educational systems nationwide, scarce resources of cadres, and lack of advanced technology in laboratories to support medical diagnosis are some factors that cause obstacles in delivery of quality healthcare in Afghanistan. Doctor-patient interaction is an important aspect of delivery of quality care to patients that needs to be included in a comprehensive CME program for healthcare professionals. All of these factors need to be addressed properly in promoting a successful CME program for doctors in a country with diverse group of population such as Afghanistan. Factors that need to be addressed in a comprehensive CME program are summarized below:

1. Problems with standardizing educational systems nationwide and scarce resources of cadres.

Problem with standardizing educational systems nationwide is an important part of disparity in delivery of quality healthcare services in Afghanistan. Lack of adequate cadres inside Afghanistan is the main reason behind this problem. Political turmoil has caused qualified cadres to leave Afghanistan over past several years or some have deceased. Therefore, medical students were deprived of most required information during their school years and graduated with substandard education. Freshly graduated students with substandard education were appointed in clinics to treat patients, while there were no well-trained clinicians to guide them properly. In recent years there have been newly developed medical schools in different provinces which lack qualified cadres and don’t meet educational standards; these substandard medical schools add to the existing healthcare education problems in Afghanistan.

2. Lack of advanced technology in laboratories to support medical diagnosis.

Lack of advanced technology in laboratories to support medical diagnosis is also one of the factors that affect accuracy in patient diagnosis. Lack of proper diagnostic tolls in turn negatively affects treatment and patient outcomes. It is also necessary to have well-trained laboratory technicians to perform diagnostic tests on patients’ specimens. To train laboratory technicians properly, it is important to have a certification program for various diagnostic field under supervision of qualified trainers either inside Afghanistan or overseas. The only problem with sending individuals’ overseas for training is that tranees might not return to Afghanistan. A more feasible approach is to have qualified trainers to train technicians inside Afghanistan. 

3. Doctor-patient interaction.

Doctor-patient interaction based on cultural orientation of patients is an important component of CME program for doctors that needs to be addressed by healthcare providers. Cultural sensitivity by healthcare providers can facilitate diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of healthcare services to patients, which in turn could result in positive outcomes by enhancing patient cooperation in the treatment and recovery process. One of the obstacles that doctors are facing in Afghanistan is examining a female patient by male doctor because female patients may not want to speak to a male doctor or expose their bodies for proper physical exam. Although sometimes family members such as patient’s father or brother are present, it is difficult to inquire accurate information about patient’s menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or other specific gynecological problems. Therefore, inexperienced medical doctors need to be properly trained to address patients’ needs appropriately and accordingly.

Comprehensive CME program providers need to be aware of cultural diversity in sub populations in countries and seek solution to existing obstacles in delivery of quality healthcare to these sub-populations. It is important that healthcare providers in Afghanistan evaluate and analyze cultural diversity in Afghan patient populations. The results of such evaluation need to be included in training curriculum for CME program.

Providing a comprehensive CME program for medical doctors could be vary based on the requirements of sub-population in each area and the capacity of each healthcare institution or hospital. For example, a well-equipped major hospital with qualified professional staff could be the center for training new doctors, while the professional staff themselves would participate in international training programs and seminars to enhance their experience. New doctors could rotate for training to these major hospitals for certain amount of time and return to their original clinics after the CME program is completed. The senior doctors from hospitals around the country could also obtain CME in the major hospitals with well-trained professional staff and after completing the program return to their designated centers to educate their medical personnel. Qualified professional staff from major hospitals could also be invited to other hospitals to evaluate the condition of healthcare services in those centers.

To achieve nationwide CME programs in various parts of Afghanistan in efficient amount of time, direct contact of healthcare professionals via tele-education seems another possibility that could facilitate constant contact and communication of healthcare professionals inside Afghanistan or globally. It is essential that participants of global communication regarding healthcare services be aware of cultural diversities in each area.

Conclusion

Problems with standardizing educational systems nationwide, scarce resources of cadres, and lack of advanced technology in laboratories to support medical diagnosis are some factors that cause obstacles in delivery of quality healthcare in Afghanistan. CME is an important part of a successful medical practice for best patient outcome in any medical setting which improves, maintains, and develops professional performance and skills of physicians (Bellos et al., 2007). Doctor-patient interaction is an important aspect of delivery of quality care to patients that needs to be included in a comprehensive CME program for healthcare professionals. Decades of war in Afghanistan has destroyed country’s infrastructure which in turn healthcare services as well as education and CME for medical professionals have suffered a remarkable seatback. Providing a comprehensive CME program for medical doctors could be vary based on the requirements of sub-population in each area and the capacity of each healthcare institution or hospital.

References

Bellos, J., Bergqvist, D., Bockel, J., Palombo, D., & Wolfe, J. (2007). European continuing

medical education in vascular surgery: 5-year results of congresses approved by the Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes Section of Vascular Surgery. International Angiology, 26(4), 361-6.  Retrieved December 26, 2009, from ProQuest Health and Medical Complete.

Jalal, Z. (2009). Emergency medical systems: Prehospital trauma care for landmine and ordnance

blast injuries in Afghanistan. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Phoenix, United States, Arizona. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from Dissertations & Theses @ University of Phoenix.

Krym, V., Retezar, R., & Scott, S. (2009). International partnerships to foster growth in

emergency medicine in Romania. CJEM : Journal of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, 11(6), 560-5.  Retrieved December 25, 2009, from ProQuest database.

World health organization (WHO, 2009). About WHO. Retrieved December, 27, 2009, from

http://www.who.int/about/en/

An accredited program for online nursing degree has become one of the most convenient and smartest ways to receive a master’s degree in nursing. Over the years, many prestigious schools have started offering accredited nursing degrees online and thus have become popular among students. However, before enrolling into an online nursing degree it is necessary to consider the benefits of such a degree.

Most of the students who want to pursue a master’s degree in nursing cannot usually do so because they can’t afford to give up their current jobs to pursue a higher degree in a traditional campus based school. This is where online courses for Master’s Degree in Nursing come in. These courses allow the students to pursue the degree and attend classes according to their own convenience. Nurses, who are already working or have family responsibilities, find these courses very helpful.

Basic requirements that are to be fulfilled by a student to avail of an online nursing degree are a computer with broadband connection and ofcourse the required fee, which is usually lesser than fee of traditional courses. It is seen that university credits differ based upon location and institution for a traditional course. However, it is not the same with online courses. A student can avail of scholarships for a traditional degree in nursing. Likewise, a scholarship or financial assistance can also be availed for an online degree.

The academic advisor, appointed to a particular student, can help to identify and apply for financial aid, tuition assistance and scholarship programs available. The academic advisor also works with a student on a one-to-one basis to chalk out the curriculum as per the needs of a student.

Many students wish to pursue an online nursing degree course, but are confused as how can one receive a nursing degree online because there would be no clinical rotation. The answer to this question is that the nursing students already do the clinical rotations during the course of original nursing degree program. Again, in some cases, as in online graduate programs for nursing or online programs for Nurse Practitioner, course work related to academics in done wherever and whenever it is possible for the student. If there is any requirement for clinical work then it is coordinated with a local preceptor at a facility near to the student.

An advantage of online nursing courses as compared to traditional ones is that students have access to their professors round the clock through facilities like virtual classes, e-mails, live chat, phone calls, bulletin boards and other means. However, this is not possible for students pursuing a nursing degree in traditional way because their access to the professors is limited to the office hours only.

Each of the online nursing institutions offer individualized programs with different specializations. Some of the most popular online courses for online masters in nursing are RN to MSN bridge programs, Nurse Practitioner programs, MSN degree, M.S. in nursing concentrating in Nursing Education, and combination of Masters in Nursing and Masters in Healthcare or Management.

An online nursing program to obtain a masters degree has many benefits such as personal convenience, quality of instruction, financial aid, and a lot of esteemed online nursing schools to choose from. Apart from these a student also gets to complete the course at a desired pace so that the student’s current work schedule or responsibilities do not get disrupted. However, it still remains an individual’s personal preference whether he/she wants to enroll for an online master’s degree in nursing or not. Students can also get additional information directly from the online schools that offer such programs.

The University of Phoenix is one of the most popular online education schools that exist. It is an accredited college that offers a variety of degree programs to students who have time constraint issues. The college will be able to work around your busy schedule when offering Internet tutition.

Some of the degree programs that Online Education through University of Phoenix offers are business, technology, health care, education, social and behavioral science. You will find undergraduate and graduate certificate programs as well. You will also find associate degrees, bachelor degrees, master’s degrees, and doctorates are offered through Internet tuition at the University of Phoenix.

When you choose online education you will be obtaining your course work through electronic forums. This means that all information will be coming to you in some type of electronic format. You will be able to download lectures, questions and assignments from the forums. This allows you to look over the information when you have the opportunity. For instance if you are enrolled in Internet tuition you will be able to come home from work and log on to the University of Phoenix or you can log on before you head to work. You will have to log on at least four times a week to get the updated information.

The best thing of course is being able to login when you have the time rather than having to show up at a classroom. You will still be able to work with teams. They have a learning team created with additional assignments and you can also talk with other class members regarding assignments. Online Education through University of Phoenix is easy. The professor will be able to help you if you have questions. Most often you will have to post these questions on the forum so that class members can have a chance to see the questions and help answer them. The professor is going to monitor these conversations to help you out as well.

Obtaining an online nursing master degree is important for several reasons. The most important reason is that many hospitals and other care facilities will not allow nurses to enter higher level administrative roles unless they have a master degree in nursing. This is because there are more management skills needed as well as advanced knowledge of state and federal regulations pertaining to the care of patients. For a nurse to change careers and find a job in nursing administration, they will have to first earn a master degree in nursing to be considered for most positions.

A nurse has two options. They can either find a nursing program at a university and begin to attend classes. These classes will probably meet two or three times a week sometimes for up to three hours. When a person is working and raising a family, it may be difficult to attend classes while trying to keep everything else together. Another option is to obtain an online nursing master degree. Programs like these do not rely on classroom time. Students learn at home. They are expected to complete assignments and turn in tests and reports on time, but there is no time spent trying to find ways to get to classes after work or between family activities.

People who enroll in online programs want to obtain an online nursing master degree so that they can better themselves at work while still having time to spend with their families. While an online program will take time to complete, much less time will be needed traveling to and from classes. The workload does not change since the information must still be learned. But when a person can choose when they want to study and when they want to take their tests, it becomes easier to schedule the rest of their lives.

A great school for obtaining your Ph.D. in Psychology is the renowned Stanford University. Located in California, Stanford has repeatedly been ranked among the top psychology doctoral programs. Among its unique points, Stanford University operates 17 different research labs that are solely dedicated to the study of psychology. With award winning faculty members, and state of the art facilities, this school is justifiably sitting at the top of the list. Doctoral programs in psychology are offered in the following areas of study:

* Cognitive

* Developmental psychology

* Neuroscience

* Personality

* Social psychology

How much does it cost to attend top psychology graduate programs?

As a private research institution of higher learning, the price tag to earn your Ph.D. from Stanford can be quite costly. Recent figures estimate that tuition runs approximately ,000 per year! However, have some solace in the fact that many top research-oriented universities offer fellowships to support graduate students through their course of study. Before we get to how to pay for grad school, let’s focus on the admissions process.

Because Stanford does sit right on top of the proverbial food chain, getting admitted is not an easy process. Don’t worry though. It’s hard, but not impossible. You will need an incredible graduate personal statement, laudatory recommendation letters from professors and advisors, and excellent grades. Stanford also has a reputation for looking specifically for students who have done well in their undergraduate programs, having chosen from the most challenging courses available to them.

With an average acceptance rate at only about 13 percent (and for certain areas, such as Clinical Psychology, you can expect even more competitive acceptance rates!), you have to be on top of your game for your entire undergraduate career to have the best chances of getting your coveted acceptance letter in the mail. If you have already struggled in college, you still have a chance. Colleges like this typically focus more on just the last two or three semesters of your undergraduate grades and overall academic progress.

It sounds like a lot, and it may seems impossible, but if you wish to go to Stanford, tighten your boot straps and pick up that textbook. You can still make it to the number one ranked Psychology program in the nation.

The best way to enrich and polish your career in terms of education is to take admission in various study abroad programs. But first you need decide at what time you want to get engaged in these kinds of programs as they vary greatly in terms of duration. Some can happen over summer while others would have you sticking to it for the whole academic year. The other aspect to consider is the selection of the country in which you want to pursue your study program. If we talk about the current scenario, the most well known study abroad programs would typically have you spending your college in Australia and attending to the program in US.

The best possible way to pursue study abroad programs is to fix your enrollment in a college or university within the United States and attend the actual classes in one of the colleges or universities of a foreign nation which would then be known as the host country of your studies overseas. And the best part of studying abroad is that whatever credits that you earn during your studies overseas will be credited back to your home college or university to build up your bachelors or masters degree.

But before going abroad for pursuing study abroad programs, one needs to take the advice of an experienced international education consultant. These consultants will guide you in deciding what country or what course is suitable for your professional career. You can be sure of the fact that by hiring these education experts your future will be in safe hands.

You need to at least finish your first semester of you college study abroad, as maximum employers would only recognize your study abroad program if they’ve lasted for at least one semester. To become relatively proficient with the language and culture of the host nation it is expected to take at least that long for a student. Accommodations within the campus or university are provided to those students who travel overseas and live to a distant place. The best part of these programs is student will get the chance to participate in various activities including those that are not in their academics, hence their creativity level increases.

IDP established in 1969 and 50% owned by 38 Australian universities, stands at the forefront of international education services. Those students who are currently studying in India and wish to pursue their higher study abroad or college study in the USA can join IDP.

Do television shows like CSI and Law & Order interest you? Does the idea of maintaining order and justice in society appeal to you? Have you considered pursuing a career in criminal justice? If so, there are many options for obtaining an online degree in criminal justice.

Criminal justice degree programs are offered at levels from Associate’s degrees to Doctorates. With each additional level of degree earned, you acquire qualifications for more prominent positions. The variety of programs and breadth of concentrations means that there are options for those seeking a new career in criminal justice as well as those seeking to improve their current career.

Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees prepare students for jobs in local or state levels, often as police officers. Beyond that, Bachelor’s degrees open up positions in private law enforcement, smaller management positions, or even forensics.

Master’s degrees require the previous completion of a Bachelor’s degree and further augment the student’s understanding of the criminal justice system. Careers in higher levels of management, criminal psychology, or even the FBI require a Master’s degree.

If you wish to further enhance your career options, a PhD in criminal justice is also attainable. There are, however, fewer choices of degree programs at this level. The doctorate degree opens up higher-ranking options in higher education, research, and consulting.

These degrees are all available online, at accredited colleges and universities. An online education allows you to continue working at your current job while studying. This means that you can change careers without losing your source of income, or advance your own career without losing valuable work experience. Furthermore, distance learning allows you to gain your degree from where you are. There is no need to travel to and from a physical campus- saving you time and money.

When considering all of the aspects that affect a decision about pursing an online degree in criminal justice, it may help to have a comparison tool to keep all of the details straight. Choose carefully, as undertaking an online education is an investment- but do not lose sight of the rewards of an exciting new career!

<!– @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } A:link { so-language: zxx } –>

Online distance learning offers the quality of conventional on-site classes combined with the flexibility that allows individuals to attain or continue their education despite their busy lives. For many people, a traditional classroom setup simply will not work because of challenges with time and schedule. This is why a growing number of students are choosing online distance learning education.

As many students have found that online classes can easily fit into hectic schedules filled with family and job commitments, the enrolment for online distance learning has been steadily growing every year. Indeed, online distance learning education is very attractive because it offers students the convenience of choosing not only when to take their lessons but also where to study and this has encouraged thousands of people to earn a certification or degree online.

Online distance learning is a practical and clever way to attain almost any college degree with numerous online distance learning education programs offering hundreds of different courses. College majors from online schools span the gamut from business and management to information technology and even criminal justice and social sciences, helping to set students toward various professional goals.

Likewise, a person can earn all types of college degrees through online distance learning programs from Associate Degrees and Bachelor’s Degree to Master’s and even Doctoral degrees. Certification programs are also widely available, allowing courses to be completed in much shorter period than traditional means. With a wide range of online distance learning education options, aspiring students can easily find the program that will suit their career goals.

There are also many schools that offer online distance learning programs that can be completed in as short as ten months, enabling working students to push ahead with their career goals as soon as possible. In online distance learning education, classes are designed to accommodate different schedules so there are day and night classes to allow students to keep their jobs or attend to other matters.

Aside from being an excellent option for busy people who want to go back to school, online distance learning education solves other practical concerns. Online distance learning addresses the challenges to attending traditional school that are posed by physical disabilities or geographic. Also, being able to study at home means there are no travel costs for students to worry about. Most online distance learning programs have flexible financial aid options to help students finance their educations.

In addition, the popularity of online distance learning education has made it easy for students to locate a program that has been accredited by the professional industry association. This means, students can expect quality education from online distance learning programs. It is not a far-fetched idea that online distance learning education is the future of learning.

www.ici.net.au