WORLD HEALTH ORGAN I ZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTl1
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC BUREAU R~GIONAL DU PACIFIQUE OCCIDENTAL
REGIONAL COMMITTEE Twenty-third Session Guam
WPR/RC23/l2 30 June 1972 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
27 September - 5 October 1972 Provisional agenda item 19
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COMPREHENSIVE AND CO-ORDINATED TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR HEALTH PERSONNEL Progress Report 1. INTRODUCTION
The Regional Committee at its twenty-second session considered a report submitted by the Regional Director on the progress made towards the development of a regional teacher training centre for health personnel. The Committee in its resolution WPR/RC22.R16 adopted on 27 September 1971 endorsed the proposal that the Medical Faculty of the University of New South Wales should be considered as a suitable site for such a centre and authorized "the Regional Director to continue negotiations with this institution and with the Australian Government on the establishment of the centre and to report to the Committee at its twenty-third session on the progress of this activity". 2. ACTION TAKEN
2.1 Negotiations with the Australian Government A staff member of the Regional Office visited Australia from 25 November to 10 December 1971 to attend a workshop on medical education at the University of New South Wales. During his visit. the staff member had discussions with officials of the GOvernment in Canberra and with the Dean and other faculty members of the Medical School of the University of New South Wales. As a result of these discussions. the first draft of an agreement by exchange of letter was drawn up in the Regional Office and sent to the Government of Australia on 7 January 1972. Comments received from the Government on this draft led to the preparation of a second one and this was sent to the Government on 29 May 1972. Final word from the Government on its acceptance of the agreement is awaited. The agreement defines the ultimate goal of the proj.ect as "helping elevate the standard of medical care both preventive and curative in the Western Pacific Region." /The immediate ••.
WPR/RC23 112 page 2. The immediate objectives are: (a)
To establish a regional training centre in the Western Pacific Region concurrently providing service and undertaking research on teacher training; To establish and develop national teacher training centres in selected countries in the Region (apart from Australia where .• the regional teacher training centre will serve also as a national c~ntre) with a view to strengthening institutions for the education of all categories of health workers by improving their curriculum design and teaching methods and evaluating both teacher and student performance; To assiSt national centres in providing trainin8 in modern teaching methode and ideas for faculty members of educational institutions for health personnel.
(b)
(c)
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The agreement defines the activities to be undertaken commencing with the training of the staff of the regional centre and continuing with the training activities of the centre for teachers of the health profession from the Region. It further describes the consultative services to be provided as part of the centre's functions as a national centre for Australia and the research activities to be undertaken. 2.2 WHO training activities for the centre
Two senior staff members from the University of Hew South Wales attended an inter-regional seminar and workshop at the Center for Educational Dev.lopment, University of Illinois. College of MediCine, Chicago, Unit.d States of America, from 25 October to 5 November 1971. The purpose of this seminar was to assist top level adainistrators of SCholohlS of medicine anhd ot her institutbioD8~:~ncernedd with training of hea t personnel in t • panning, 1 esta 1is,-.nt an iaprovement 0 f training centres for teachers of health personnel. As mentioned under 2.1 above, from 29 November to 10 December 1971, a seminar and workshop was held in the University of New South Wales Medical School in Sydney. Three consultants from the Center for Educational Development, Chicago, were provided by WHO. There were twenty-three participants. The aim of the seminar was to familiarize faculty members of the Medical School of the Univer.ity of .... South Wale. with ..dern concept. in ..dieal education. t ..... ,tnI...tiq the around fen" the •• tab1ia....t of the regional teacher training centre.
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Four facultJ m ..bers of that Medical School attended a four-week seminar at the Center for Educational Development in Chicago from 21 February to 17 March 1972. A second greup of four will belin a four-week seminar on lOOctober 1972. Also in 1972, a staff member of the Medical School will be selected to undertake a one-year course leading to a ...ter's degree in medical education at thei s _ institution. It is intended that f on his r.tur1l to Sydney, th~ 1IBO fellow will assume an iapOrtant position in the orl8llization of the regional centre.
13.
PBDPOSED •••
·WPR/RC23/l2 page 3
3.
PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION
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It is proposed that the full-time academic and secretarial staff required as a minimum for the development of the centre will be appointed by the University of New South Wales at the beginning of 1973 and it is anticipated that a course leading to a master's degree in medical education will then be started. Short courses in medical education will also begin during that year. WHO will assist these courses by providing advisers and teachers (12 consultant months), fellowships (30 months) to enable teachers of health personnel from faculties in the Region to attend and $1000 to furnish some.of the teachingl~id. nqulred: Further provision has been made in the regular progr&llllle and budget for 1974 for similar assistance to the . .ster's degree programme and the short courses in medical education at the centre (12 consultant months) and for fellowships (10 one month and 5 twelve months). In addition, it is proposed to grant four fellowships for members of the teaching staff of the centre. Following the interest shown by a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) mission in the programme, a formal submission by WHO has been made to UNDP for complete or partial funding of this project. As this submission has not yet received formal approval, funding for the project by WHO shoulq be provided pending the UNDP decision. It is intended that the project will be developed by assisting governments in the Region to establish national teacher training centres for health personnel as soon as the teachers needed to staff them have completed their degrees of . .ster in medical education. WHO will assist in establishing such national centres by providing consultant services and funds for supplies and equipment.