We are estabilshing a longitudinal relationship with the teaching hospitals in Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania. As academic radiologists, myself and my medical residents (3 travelers) will be intervening by teaching Tanzanian medical professionals about breast imaging and intervention, as breast cancer continues to increase in this population. By teaching the radiologists, our goal is to allow native medical professionals to diagnose breast disaese, and to better understand intervention and and biopsy techniques. We will deliver a number of lectures, and teach all radiology modalities including mammography, ultrasound, CT, MRI, and radiographs. Our initial interventions and curriculum can be disseminated to the radiologists thoughout the country, improving care, sophistication, and diagnostic acumen.
In regards to breast cancer, we will directly and indirectly increase the sophistication of the native radiology providers in providing diagnosis and care for breast cancer patients. Similarly, our teaching in all areas of radiology will serve to improve diagnostic acumen, and the quality of care at Tanzania's largest medical teaching institution, with a long term goal of helping all patients who receive imaging in Tanzanian hosptials and clinics.
Although we will return in approximately six month intervals, our primary goal is to teach medical professionals who can in turn teach others, improving accuracy and service for patients.
I recently returned from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, in East Africa, with a group of staff from The University of Virginia Health and Emory School of Medicine.
Our primary goal of this trip was to prepare for, and facilitate a novel training paradigm for women's imaging within the radiology departments at the Muhimbili National Hospital complex. While a growing number of radiologists are graduating from an already established radiology training program, there is a need for additional specialization in radiology. Using a training template already in place for interventional radiology and neuroradiology, our goal was to launch a women's imaging service, and to continue to work towards training specialists to achieve a two year degree as women's imaging radiologists in Tanzania and the broader East African community. We were successful in identifying our trainees, setting up virtual training schedules, organizing formal lectures and workstation teaching, and beginning hands-on training in image-guided breast intervention.
I have enclosed pictures of our group and our colleagues in Tanzania.
