TRAINING
FUTURE PEDIATRICIANS HOW TO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY
Grange A
College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria
Objective: The objective of this paper is to present various methods of
training future pediatricians how to work in the community and to highlight
the methods best-suited to training in developing countries with a view to
effecting the desired improvement in child health services and research.
Methods:
The methods of training future pediatricians in both developed and
developing worlds are presented with emphasis on areas that lead to the
promotion of effective practice in the community. Highlighted is a specific model of training in Nigeria
in response to persistently high neonatal, infant and under¨Cfive mortality
rates of 40, 114 and 195 per thousand respectively. The opportunities and
challenges encountered in the establishment of this model are discussed.
Conclusion: It is concluded that pediatricians who are charged with training
responsibilities must become more sensitive to the need to equip trainees
with the requisite knowledge, attitude and skills that will enable them to
respond to local, national and international demands for relevance of child
health specialists in varied working environments.