Research Agenda July 2015 Department of Family Medicine Martha Makwero MBBS, MMed

Research in FM: Features / Challenges New department While establishing and strengthening educational initiative - difficult to come up with clear defined research agenda Lecturers that are present for a year contract basis challenge to longitudinal continuity.

Research in FM: Features / Challenges Challenges of research in Primary Health Care (PHC) globally: 1.Absence of research's skills in many FP 2.Under-representation on grant development and grant review panels 3.Insufficient / limited funding allocated for research in PHC (compared to disease specific) 4.Location of FM educational sites outside main campus where funding discussions are concentrated

Strengths Breath and scope of PHC enables broad areas of inquiry Possibility for networking with different specialties. Ability to explore beyond the biomedical field ( social and psychological aspects) Some projects are less expensive in the context of PHC (financial incentives for governments / donors) FM is part of the SPH which has a long tradition in research

Thematic Areas Conceptual research: Defining FM in Malawian context Needs evaluation and assessment: focus of FM in dealing with population needs using bottom-up approach. Epidemiology of FM: Ecology of FM in Malawi ( patients, interventions/procedures by doctors, the diagnosis, the prescription, and the referral to the secondary level of care ( in case of referrals) )

Thematic Areas Research specificities of biopsychosocial approach and coordination of home care Research oriented in Quality Assurance Health services research (accessibility, continuity & coordination) Training and mentorship in the district Basic research: develop tools which can be applied in PHC

Thematic areas: Research on rural clinical Leadership An exploration of the role of government, policy, universities and rural clinical academics in supporting and developing rural clinical academic leadership and training Describing and analysing functional district training sites (with a particular emphasis on facilitating and constraining factors) Potential of training sites on the outcomes after graduation

Way Forward The themes seem to be broad, but FM itself is broad and encompass several disciplines We have started to approach Research centre to get further training for the team: from registrars to faculty We have to get a strong network system able to help us in securing funding for the pieces of research which can assist in getting a sure database of PHC evidence for future projects

Way forward We are pleading also for those who will be including Mangochi in their on-going or coming research projects (whenever possible) to include team from FM as a starting point for future collaboration. A strong commitment in research grants writing is a must to be able to start what we have planned. We have specific topics for each themes (can change)

THANK YOU Comments/questions are welcomed