Abstract
Background: A research and training program (RTP) was carried out to build the capacity of faculty and improve the culture of research in the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL), Nigeria. Methods: Realist-guided mixed methods evaluation of the BRAINS project was carried out using secondary data generated during the 5-years (2015 – 2020) of project implementation. Capacity building workshops and mentored research activities targeted at faculty in the CMUL were conducted. Overall, 1,418 participants attended the workshops in batches. Among the participants, forty-five faculty received grants and were mentored by senior professionals (local & international) to conduct research. Data were extracted from all project-related documents including coursework biodata, workshop evaluation forms, quarterly project reports, and end- of-project reports, submitted by the mentees, minutes of meetings, and the proposal submitted for funding. It was in the form of continuous variables and prose (sentences & stories). Quantitative data were analysed with IBM SPSS statistics version 20. Mean knowledge score and mean difference was calculated, paired t-test was carried out using p < 0.05 to determine statistical significance. The prose was thematically analysed to generate themes and narratives. Both were subsequently combined for interpretation and used to refine the initial programme theory into an evidence-informed theory. Results: Twelve courses were deployed, and 1,418 participants (47.8% males and 52.2% females) from medical, nursing, and allied medical departments were trained. Eighty participants were trained in Responsible Conduct of Research and eighty-one on Manuscript Writing over three years. A comparison of the pre/post-test knowledge scores showed a positive mean difference. Thematic analysis of workshop data produced three thematic domains representing effectiveness and gains namely: cognitive, reward, and behavioural. 45 trainees were awarded grants and mentored, and analysis of mentee’s data generated 4 themes: Achieving a robust mentoring program; Benefits of the mentoring program; Resilience in research; Improving the mentoring program. Conclusion: By contributing to the body of knowledge available on RTPs, this evaluation identified key components that contributed to the success of the project and developed a model for achieving a robust training and mentoring program which can be replicated in other LMICs.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 522 |
| Journal | BMC medical education |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2023 |
Funding
Building Research and Innovation in Nigeria's Science (BRAINS) is a 5-year (2015–2020) program built on the achievements of the Medical Education Partnership Initiative Nigeria (MEPIN) funded by the Fogarty International Centre at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA. BRAINS is domiciled at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL), in partnership with Northwestern University, Harvard University, and APIN Public Health Initiatives. Pre-COVID-19 pandemic, the BRAINS project provided training in the following areas of research; Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and infectious diseases, neuroscience, bioinformatics and genomics, community medicine, and biomedical engineering for junior faculty. The intention was to promote research and innovation, and in the spirit of inclusion and equality create avenues and platforms for academics to have access to and engage in cutting-edge research thereby raising local standards and grooming local academics for the competitive global stage [, ]. “Research reported in this publication was supported by the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number D43TW010134. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”
Keywords
- Faculty
- Grants
- Mentoring
- Research
- Training
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Education
