The physician-scientists: rare species in Africa
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Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Pan African Medical Center for Public Health Research and Information
Abstract
There is paucity of physician-scientists in Africa, resulting in overt dependence of clinical practice on research findings from advanced "first world"
countries. Physician-scientists include individuals with a medical degree alone or combined with other advanced degrees (e.g. MD/MBChB and PhD)
with a career path in biomedical/ translational and patient-oriented/evaluative science research. The paucity of clinically trained research scientists
in Africa could result in dire consequences as exemplified in the recent Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa, where shortage of skilled clinical
scientists, played a major role in disease progression and mortality. Here we contextualise the role of physician-scientist in health care
management, highlight factors limiting the training of physician-scientist in Africa and proffer implementable recommendations to address these
factors.
Description
Keywords
Physician-scientists, Africa, Clinical practice, Research findings, Health care management
Citation
Adefuye, A.O. et al. (2018). The physician-scientists: rare species in Africa. Pan African Medical Journal, 29(8)