Kolabo 2025: Week Two – Wrapping Up Blog
DAY 8 & 9: The teams share their medical education tips & tricks!
After Wednesday morning’s clinical meeting, we had the privilege of watching on of Dr. Gema’s medical student lectures. She impressed us with her ability to keep the students engaged using numerous techniques that we’re excited to bring back to the University of Calgary residency program. During the afternoon session, Dr. Sellmer shared some of his techniques for keeping residents engaged in teaching, including a creative Lego exercise to teach psychopharmacology!
During Thursday’s sessions, the University of Calgary team members were in the hot seat as we demonstrated simulations and OSCE examinations. Psychiatrists Paige Durling and Rita Watterson took a trip down memory lane as they demonstrated the resident experience during a simulation focused on the “agitated patient,” and an OSCE station testing Schizophrenia guideline knowledge. The University of Calgary and CUHAS teams brainstormed ways that simulations and practice tests could be implemented in the development of the CUHAS psychiatry residency program.
DAY 10: Meeting with CUHAS leaders
On Friday morning, we had the pleasure of meeting three CUHAS staff who have been instrumental in supporting the Kolabo partnership. New faces include, from left to right: Professor Peter Rambau, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic Research and Consultancy; Professor Mariam Mirambo, Associated Dean of CUHAS School of Medicine; and Dr. Dismas Matovelo, Associated Director of Postgraduate Studies. We spoke about the progress made thus far towards developing the “Masters of Medicine in Psychiatry” program at CUHAS. We were excited to hear about the Tanzanian governments’ emphasis on mental health funding in recent years, highlighted during the government’s event: “There is no health, without mental health!,” to commemorate World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2022. We were able to discuss how the University of Calgary team may be able to support the process as we continue to collaborate in the coming years. Finally, we had an opportunity to sign the visitor’s log of Vice Chancellor Professor Erasmus Kamugisha, where Professor Mariam Mirambo offered us treasured gifts on behalf of CUHAS.
A final KWAHERI to our Tanzanian Colleagues!
A casual lunch on Friday was the perfect way to wrap up our two weeks at CUHAS! We spent time celebrating the excellent undergraduate medical teaching we observed over the last two weeks, a testament to the capacity of the CUHAS psychiatry team! We also spent time discussing the next steps for our groups as we shift the focus of the Kolabo project towards supporting the development of the masters program. Asante sana to the entire CUHAS team for their engagement and hospitality over the last two weeks!
