Bocking - AMPATH program

We were particularly interested in looking at ways that on a global perspective we could actually make a significant impact. We know that our undergraduate health science students; whether they be nursing students, medicine, rehab sciences, as well as our postgraduate; in this case it was postgraduate residents and trainees in obstetrics and gynaecology, were very interested in how they could have an impact globally as well. So as a chair of the department, I thought, ‘Well why not try and harness all of this tremendous energy and expertise and enthusiasm in a way that will be sustainable?’ And, so that’s why we looked at this academic partnership. At the same time, the AMPATH consortium was looking for a school within their consortium that was committed to enhancing what we call reproductive health. So it’s sort of in, in Kenya, “reproductive health” is what we call “obstetrics and gynaecology” here. So we looked at that and it was an amazing opportunity; incredible opportunity. So, in the space of seven years, we now have two faculty members on site that live in Eldoret. One from University of Toronto, one from Indiana University. We have a number of our faculty that visit and spend periods of time, two to four weeks, teaching and contributing to clinical care. And we also have trainees and faculty from Kenya who come and spend periods of time in Toronto, to learn as well. So it’s really fulfilling the tripartite mission of medical schools. And it’s been primarily medical, at the moment; but research, teaching and clinical care. And when I think of all those three parameters, there has been major advances that have been made in helping to improve the quality of care, for women in particular, in western Kenya.