How we implement our GO MOMS/GO GYNS curriculums:
WHO:
Our trainees are medical students, residents, and teaching faculty in low-resource environments.
In the majority of developing countries, medical residents "pay back" their educational costs by spending six months to two years as the only physician serving a remote area of their country. If these early-career physicians are equipped with resource-appropriate techniques, they can profoundly improve the care given to the general population. By additionally focusing on teaching faculty, we practice a "train the trainer" approach that encourages the sustainability of our programs.
Where:
We intentionally select teaching hospitals as they align with our mission to train both residents and practicing Ob/Gyns. We have worked in Nicaragua ,Guatemala, Costa Rica and we have plans to expand to India in 2020.
How:
We implement GO MOMS and GO GYNS over several visits. During the initial visit, we conduct a needs assessment to evaluate the current skills, knowledge, attitudes, and practices of local healthcare providers at the planned program site. Based on this needs assessment, we adjust our curriculum for cultural context, local need, and availability of resources. We then provide a presentation with video and simulation-based instruction. In follow-up visits, we mentor and observe local faculty and residents as they instruct their peers using our simulation-based trainings. Finally, we conduct a post-intervention assessment.
“Sometimes we talk about what we do in emergencies…but it stops there. You can know the text, but in the moment when you’re doing it, for reasons of fear or time pressure, you forget it. When you have had simulation experiences, you learn how to do it well the first time and now, you will do it that way forever.”
We use simulation-based training (SBT) because studies in the developed world have shown it results in improved patient outcomes. SBT is especially applicable in the low-resource settings where we work because it does not require expensive resources beyond human capital to facilitate scenarios. We have found that SBT can be successfully introduced to these environments and that the local physicians are fast adapters who positively respond to SBT's participatory approach. By acting in simulations, physicians practice medical techniques and also analyze their abilities to communicate effectively and work in teams while under pressure, enabling them to confidently provide better and safer care to women.
If you are interested in volunteering with us, partnering us with your organization, or hosting a training program, please contact us.