Training & Curriculum

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Training

The training offered by the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) takes a minimum of 5 years to complete.  At the end of each year, a resident must pass a written examination prepared by PAACS before advancing to the next level.  The examination is based on the textbook "Principles of Surgery" by Seymour Schwartz.

Each participating hospital has a surgical library with a wide selection of textbooks and a computer learning center is available.  In addition to the assigned reading, a resident must prepare a formal written or oral case report to present to his/her Program Director for evaluation and discussion.

A resident will learn to perform increasingly complex surgery under the close supervision of the Program Director and other experienced surgeons.  A resident must keep a log of all of the procedures he or she has performed, or has been the first assistant.

Other learning opportunities include supervised and un-supervised patient rounds, pre and post-operative care, night and week-end call on a rotating schedule.   There may also be rotations at other PAACS-approved hospitals for two to four months to broaden a resident's surgical experience. 

Evaluation

The evaluation process is multi-dimensional and covers all aspects of the resident's training.  Residents are responsible for weekly oral and/or written case presentations or quarterly research projects.  Residents are evaluated clinically every six months, as well as at the end of a specialty rotation.  Finally, residents write a comprehensive exam (multiple choice questions) annually, with the same exam content administered to all levels of residents ("progress testing").

A certificate of attendance is awarded annually to successful residents.  At the end of the fifth year, successful residents receive a diploma, awarded jointly by PAACS, the Christian Medical and Dental Association and Loma Linda University School of Medicine.

An application process and procedure is underway so that if successful,  will enable and qualify PAACS residents who have successfully completed all PAACS requirements to sit for the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) examinations and for the West African College of Surgeson (WACS).

Mbingo Graduation                    Soddo Graduation                Residents in Training