scholarly journals Improving the pipeline for pathologists in Botswana

2021 ◽  
Vol 156 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S116-S117
Author(s):  
L Kyokunda ◽  
S Souda ◽  
R Obeng
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fellowship Training ◽  
Substantial Improvement ◽  
Clinical Diagnostics ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Effect Change

Abstract Introduction/Objective In the United States, there are approximately 39 pathologists per one million people. In contrast, there is only one pathologist per one million people in sub-Saharan Africa. This shortage of the pathologist workforce significantly impacts the quality of pathology and laboratory services that can be provided in Botswana. Methods/Case Report Root cause and SWOT analyses consisting of the major stakeholders including government officials and key leadership figures from the training university and national referral laboratories were conducted to identify areas within the training pipeline that can be improved. The educational structure, core competencies, clinical exposure and hands-on training, as well as retention and additional faculty were some of the areas in the pipeline identified for improvement. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) NA Conclusion The collaborative training program between Botswana and South Africa were strengthened and additional clinical training sites were incorporated into the training program. The core competencies required of residents were reviewed and additional resources were provided to current residents. The collaboration between Botswana and South Africa for residency and fellowship training was strengthened to include active participation of the head of Pathology at the University of Botswana on the educational curriculum committee. These implemented changes led to the successful advancement of four anatomic pathology residents from the didactic phase to the practical phase of their training. Furthermore, two pathologists were hired to support clinical diagnostics and the education of the pathology residents. In conclusion, a structured review of the educational pipeline and resources that included stakeholders that could effect change led to substantial improvement in the training program and workforce of pathologists in Botswana.

Strategies to Promote the Safety of Vulnerable Road Users in Developing and Emerging Countries: South African Experience

2003 ◽  
Vol 1846 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hubrecht Ribbens
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Middle East ◽  
The United States ◽  
Emerging Countries ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Road Traffic Safety ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Vulnerable Road Users ◽  
The Caribbean

Road casualties are discussed from a worldwide perspective. More than 80% of annual traffic casualties occur in developing and emerging countries in Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East. Vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists are a major road safety problem in these countries. In Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, more than 40% of annual road fatalities involve pedestrians compared with less than 20% in Europe and the United States. The focus of this study is South Africa’s strategy to promote the safety of vulnerable road users. The extent of casualties among vulnerable road users and contributing factors are highlighted. Over the last decade, pedestrian fatalities have gradually and steadily declined in South Africa. This study describes the various policies, strategies, and action plans developed and implemented by different government levels in South Africa to promote road traffic safety, particularly the safety of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists. Barriers to successful implementation are also pointed out. Apart from applying a holistic approach by involving all relevant disciplines, a coordinated and sustained effort of all government levels was encouraged. Joint-venture funding projects among different government levels was emphasized to improve hazardous pedestrian locations. The role of the private sector in South Africa to promote pedestrian safety is also discussed. Practical guidelines are presented for developing and emerging countries to promote the safety of vulnerable road users.

scholarly journals Preparing the healthcare workforce in South Africa for short-course rifampicin-resistant TB treatment: Inter-professional training and task-sharing considerations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D Stamper ◽  
Khaya Mlandu ◽  
Kelly Lowensen ◽  
Keri Geiger ◽  
Yen Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Tb Treatment ◽  
Short Course ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Professional Nurses

Abstract Background Treatment for rifampicin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (RR-TB) is complex, however, shorter treatment, with newer antimicrobials are improving treatment outcomes. The South African National Department of Health (NDoH) recently accelerated the rollout of 9-month, all oral, RR-TB short-course regimens. We sought to evaluate an inter-professional training program using pre-test and post-test performance of Professional Nurses (PNs), Advanced Practice Professional Nurses (APPNs) and Medical Officers (MOs) to inform: a) training needs across cadres; b) knowledge performance, by cadres; and c) training differences in knowledge by nurse type. Methods A 4-day didactic and case-based clinical decision support course for RR-TB regimens in South Africa (SA) was developed, reviewed and nationally accredited. Between February 2017 and July 2018, 12 training events were held. Clinicians who may initiate RR-TB treatment, specifically MOs and PN/APPNs with matched pre-post tests and demographic surveys were analyzed. Descriptive statistics are provided. Pre-post test evaluations included 25 evidence-based clinically related questions about RR-TB diagnosis, treatment, and care. Results Participants (N = 842) participated in testing, and matched evaluations were received for 800 (95.0%) training participants. Demographic data was available for 793 (99.13%) participants, of whom 762 (96.1%) were MOs, or nurses, either PN or APPNs. Average correct response pre-test and post-test scores were 61.7% (range 7–24 correct responses) and 85.9% (range 12–25), respectively. Overall, 95.8% (730/762) of participants demonstrated improved knowledge. PNs improved on average 25% (6.22 points) whereas MOs improved 10% (2.89 points) with better mean test scores on both pre- and post-test (p < 0.000). APPNs performed the same as the MOs on post-test scores (p = NS). Conclusions The inter-professional training program in short-course RR-TB treatment improved knowledge for participants. MOs had significantly greater pre-test scores. Of the nurses, APPNs outperformed other PNs, and performed equally to MOs on post-test scores, suggesting this advanced cadre of nurses might be the most appropriate to initiate and monitor treatment in close collaboration with MOs. All cadres of nurse reported the need for additional clinical training and mentoring prior to managing such patients.

scholarly journals A SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Modeling Study for Persistence and Transmission to Inform Policy (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lori Ann Post ◽  
Salem T Argaw ◽  
Cameron Jones ◽  
Charles B Moss ◽  
Danielle Resnick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Data Limitations ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan

BACKGROUND Since the novel coronavirus emerged in late 2019, the scientific and public health community around the world have sought to better understand, surveil, treat, and prevent the disease, COVID-19. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), many countries responded aggressively and decisively with lockdown measures and border closures. Such actions may have helped prevent large outbreaks throughout much of the region, though there is substantial variation in caseloads and mortality between nations. Additionally, the health system infrastructure remains a concern throughout much of SSA, and the lockdown measures threaten to increase poverty and food insecurity for the subcontinent’s poorest residents. The lack of sufficient testing, asymptomatic infections, and poor reporting practices in many countries limit our understanding of the virus’s impact, creating a need for better and more accurate surveillance metrics that account for underreporting and data contamination. OBJECTIVE The goal of this study is to improve infectious disease surveillance by complementing standardized metrics with new and decomposable surveillance metrics of COVID-19 that overcome data limitations and contamination inherent in public health surveillance systems. In addition to prevalence of observed daily and cumulative testing, testing positivity rates, morbidity, and mortality, we derived COVID-19 transmission in terms of speed, acceleration or deceleration, change in acceleration or deceleration (jerk), and 7-day transmission rate persistence, which explains where and how rapidly COVID-19 is transmitting and quantifies shifts in the rate of acceleration or deceleration to inform policies to mitigate and prevent COVID-19 and food insecurity in SSA. METHODS We extracted 60 days of COVID-19 data from public health registries and employed an empirical difference equation to measure daily case numbers in 47 sub-Saharan countries as a function of the prior number of cases, the level of testing, and weekly shift variables based on a dynamic panel model that was estimated using the generalized method of moments approach by implementing the Arellano-Bond estimator in R. RESULTS Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and South Africa have the most observed cases of COVID-19, and the Seychelles, Eritrea, Mauritius, Comoros, and Burundi have the fewest. In contrast, the <i>speed</i>, <i>acceleration</i>, <i>jerk</i>, <i>and 7-day persistence</i> indicate rates of COVID-19 transmissions differ from observed cases. In September 2020, Cape Verde, Namibia, Eswatini, and South Africa had the highest speed of COVID-19 transmissions at 13.1, 7.1, 3.6, and 3 infections per 100,0000, respectively; Zimbabwe had an acceleration rate of transmission, while Zambia had the largest rate of deceleration this week compared to last week, referred to as a <i>jerk</i>. Finally, the 7-day persistence rate indicates the number of cases on September 15, 2020, which are a function of new infections from September 8, 2020, decreased in South Africa from 216.7 to 173.2 and Ethiopia from 136.7 to 106.3 per 100,000. The statistical approach was validated based on the regression results; they determined recent changes in the pattern of infection, and during the weeks of September 1-8 and September 9-15, there were substantial country differences in the evolution of the SSA pandemic. This change represents a decrease in the transmission model R value for that week and is consistent with a de-escalation in the pandemic for the sub-Saharan African continent in general. CONCLUSIONS Standard surveillance metrics such as daily observed new COVID-19 cases or deaths are necessary but insufficient to mitigate and prevent COVID-19 transmission. Public health leaders also need to know where COVID-19 transmission rates are accelerating or decelerating, whether those rates increase or decrease over short time frames because the pandemic can quickly escalate, and how many cases today are a function of new infections 7 days ago. Even though SSA is home to some of the poorest countries in the world, development and population size are not necessarily predictive of COVID-19 transmission, meaning higher income countries like the United States can learn from African countries on how best to implement mitigation and prevention efforts. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/21955

scholarly journals Successful Efforts to Increase Diversity in a Cardiology Fellowship Training Program

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex J. Auseon ◽  
Albert J. Kolibash ◽  
Quinn Capers
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Minority Group ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fellowship Training ◽  
Ohio State University ◽  
State University ◽  
Cardiovascular Medicine ◽  
The Ohio State University ◽  
Fellowship Training Program ◽  
Cardiovascular Care

Abstract Background A large volume of literature has documented racial disparities in the delivery of cardiovascular care in the United States and that decreased access to procedures and undertreatment lead to worse outcomes. A lack of diversity among physicians is considered to be a major contributor. The fellowship training program in cardiovascular medicine at The Ohio State University Medical Center had never trained a fellow from a minority group underrepresented in medicine (URM) before 2007. Intervention In 2005, the fellowship made it a priority to recruit and match URM candidates in an effort to address the community's lack of diversity and disparities in cardiovascular care. Methods Program leaders revised the recruitment process, making diversity a high priority. Faculty met with members of diverse residency programs during visits to other institutions, the focus of interview day was changed to highlight mentorship, additional targeted postinterview communications reached out to highly competitive applicants, and a regular mentoring program was constructed to allow meaningful interaction with URM faculty and fellows. Results Since these changes were implemented, the program has successfully matched a URM fellow for 5 consecutive years. Such candidates currently make up 4 of 16 total trainees (25%) in the fellowship in cardiovascular medicine. Conclusions The cardiovascular medicine fellowship training program at The Ohio State University was able to revise recruitment to attract competitive URM applicants as part of a concerted effort. Other educational programs facing similar challenges may be able to learn from the university's experiences.

scholarly journals Preparing the healthcare workforce in South Africa for short-course rifampicin-resistant TB treatment: Inter-professional training and task-sharing considerations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D Stamper ◽  
Khaya Mlandu ◽  
Kelly Lowensen ◽  
K Geiger ◽  
Yen Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Tb Treatment ◽  
Short Course ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Professional Nurses

Abstract Background: Treatment for rifampicin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (RR-TB) is complex, however, shorter treatment, with newer antimicrobials are improving treatment outcomes. The South African National Department of Health (NDoH) recently accelerated the rollout of 9-month, all oral, RR-TB short-course regimens. We sought to evaluate an inter-professional training program using pre-test and post-test performance of Professional Nurses (PNs), Advanced Practice Professional Nurses (APPNs) and Medical Officers (MOs) to inform: a) training needs across cadres; b) knowledge performance, by cadres; and c) training differences in knowledge by nurse type. Methods: A 4-day didactic and case-based clinical decision support course for RR-TB regimens in South Africa (SA) was developed, reviewed and nationally accredited. Between February 2017 and July 2018, 12 training events were held. Clinicians who may initiate RR-TB treatment, specifically MOs and PN/APPNs with matched pre-post tests and demographic surveys were analyzed. Descriptive statistics are provided. Pre-post test evaluations included 25 evidence-based clinically related questions about RR-TB diagnosis, treatment, and care. Results: Participants (N=842) participated in testing, and matched evaluations were received for 800 (95.0%) training participants. Demographic data was available for 793 (99.13%) participants, of whom 762 (96.1%) were MOs, or nurses, either PN or APPNs. Average correct response pre-test and post-test scores were 61.7% (range 7-24 correct responses) and 85.9% (range 12-25), respectively. Overall, 95.8% (730/762) of participants demonstrated improved knowledge. PNs improved on average 25% (6.22 points) whereas MOs improved 10% (2.89 points) with better mean test scores on both pre- and post-test (p<0.000). APPNs performed the same as the MOs on post-test scores (p=NS). Conclusions: The inter-professional training program in short-course RR-TB treatment improved knowledge for participants. MOs had significantly greater pre-test scores. Of the nurses, APPNs outperformed other PNs, and performed equally to MOs on post-test scores, suggesting this advanced cadre of nurses might be the most appropriate to initiate and monitor treatment in close collaboration with MOs. All cadres of nurse reported the need for additional clinical training and mentoring prior to managing such patients.

scholarly journals African and Not Religious: The State of Research on Sub-Saharan Religious Nones and New Scholarly Horizons

2021 ◽  
pp. 000203972110525
Author(s):  
Yonatan N. Gez ◽  
Nadia Beider ◽  
Helga Dickow
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Religious Tradition ◽  
The United States ◽  
Research Interest ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
State Of Research

Sub-Saharan African societies are widely seen as highly religious. However, at least 30 million Sub-Saharan Africans identify themselves as “religious nones” and are supposedly not affiliated with any religious tradition. While research interest in religious nones has been growing in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, there is a dearth of literature on nones in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper, we offer an overview of this understudied subject and dwell on key challenges for studying African nones, including preconceived notions and structural oppositions. We further muse on the identity of African nones and consider differences from the characteristics established concerning Western nones. The article draws on quantitative data from across the region (primarily from Afrobarometer and Pew Research Center) and supplements them with interview data collected in Chad, Kenya, and South Africa.

scholarly journals A SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Modeling Study for Persistence and Transmission to Inform Policy

10.2196/24248 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. e24248
Author(s):  
Lori Ann Post ◽  
Salem T Argaw ◽  
Cameron Jones ◽  
Charles B Moss ◽  
Danielle Resnick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Data Limitations ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan

Background Since the novel coronavirus emerged in late 2019, the scientific and public health community around the world have sought to better understand, surveil, treat, and prevent the disease, COVID-19. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), many countries responded aggressively and decisively with lockdown measures and border closures. Such actions may have helped prevent large outbreaks throughout much of the region, though there is substantial variation in caseloads and mortality between nations. Additionally, the health system infrastructure remains a concern throughout much of SSA, and the lockdown measures threaten to increase poverty and food insecurity for the subcontinent’s poorest residents. The lack of sufficient testing, asymptomatic infections, and poor reporting practices in many countries limit our understanding of the virus’s impact, creating a need for better and more accurate surveillance metrics that account for underreporting and data contamination. Objective The goal of this study is to improve infectious disease surveillance by complementing standardized metrics with new and decomposable surveillance metrics of COVID-19 that overcome data limitations and contamination inherent in public health surveillance systems. In addition to prevalence of observed daily and cumulative testing, testing positivity rates, morbidity, and mortality, we derived COVID-19 transmission in terms of speed, acceleration or deceleration, change in acceleration or deceleration (jerk), and 7-day transmission rate persistence, which explains where and how rapidly COVID-19 is transmitting and quantifies shifts in the rate of acceleration or deceleration to inform policies to mitigate and prevent COVID-19 and food insecurity in SSA. Methods We extracted 60 days of COVID-19 data from public health registries and employed an empirical difference equation to measure daily case numbers in 47 sub-Saharan countries as a function of the prior number of cases, the level of testing, and weekly shift variables based on a dynamic panel model that was estimated using the generalized method of moments approach by implementing the Arellano-Bond estimator in R. Results Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and South Africa have the most observed cases of COVID-19, and the Seychelles, Eritrea, Mauritius, Comoros, and Burundi have the fewest. In contrast, the speed, acceleration, jerk, and 7-day persistence indicate rates of COVID-19 transmissions differ from observed cases. In September 2020, Cape Verde, Namibia, Eswatini, and South Africa had the highest speed of COVID-19 transmissions at 13.1, 7.1, 3.6, and 3 infections per 100,0000, respectively; Zimbabwe had an acceleration rate of transmission, while Zambia had the largest rate of deceleration this week compared to last week, referred to as a jerk. Finally, the 7-day persistence rate indicates the number of cases on September 15, 2020, which are a function of new infections from September 8, 2020, decreased in South Africa from 216.7 to 173.2 and Ethiopia from 136.7 to 106.3 per 100,000. The statistical approach was validated based on the regression results; they determined recent changes in the pattern of infection, and during the weeks of September 1-8 and September 9-15, there were substantial country differences in the evolution of the SSA pandemic. This change represents a decrease in the transmission model R value for that week and is consistent with a de-escalation in the pandemic for the sub-Saharan African continent in general. Conclusions Standard surveillance metrics such as daily observed new COVID-19 cases or deaths are necessary but insufficient to mitigate and prevent COVID-19 transmission. Public health leaders also need to know where COVID-19 transmission rates are accelerating or decelerating, whether those rates increase or decrease over short time frames because the pandemic can quickly escalate, and how many cases today are a function of new infections 7 days ago. Even though SSA is home to some of the poorest countries in the world, development and population size are not necessarily predictive of COVID-19 transmission, meaning higher income countries like the United States can learn from African countries on how best to implement mitigation and prevention efforts. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.2196/21955

scholarly journals Advancing Fellowship Training in Selective Pathology: Design and Implementation of the Milestones 2.0

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian S. Hagemann ◽  
Robin Elliott ◽  
Alexandra Kalof ◽  
Elaine S. Keung ◽  
Ninad Patil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Patient Care ◽  
Work Group ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Medical Knowledge ◽  
Clinical Pathology ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fellowship Training ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Anatomic Pathology ◽  
Knowledge Competencies

Context.— Program requirements for Selective Pathology fellowships in the United States were established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in 2011 to govern fellowships providing advanced training in surgical pathology, focused anatomic pathology, or focused clinical pathology. Selective Pathology entered the ACGME's Next Accreditation System in 2015 with the introduction of the Selective Pathology Milestones 1.0, a set of benchmarks for evaluating fellow progress in each of the 6 ACGME core competencies. In 2019, the ACGME convened a work group for a planned periodic update to these milestones. Objective.— To summarize changes to the Selective Pathology milestones. Design.— The study design featured expert opinion and survey. Results.— The Patient Care milestones for anatomic pathology–focused fellowships contain a renewed emphasis on both gross and microscopic examination, whereas for clinical pathology–focused fellowships, the emphasis is on interpretation of laboratory assays. The milestones for the non–Patient Care, non–Medical Knowledge competencies have been updated to a harmonized set of milestones designed to extend across all specialties and subspecialties. New to the milestones program is a supplemental guide that provides examples, suggested assessment tools, and references to aid in implementation. Public comments were supportive of the changes. Conclusions.— The Milestones 2.0 are set for implementation in July 2021. Updates in the new milestones are aimed at facilitating training and harmonizing evaluation across subspecialties.

scholarly journals Gynecologic Oncology Sub-Specialty Training in Ghana: A Model for Sustainable Impact on Gynecologic Cancer Care in Sub-Saharan Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sarah Erem ◽  
Adu Appiah-Kubi ◽  
Thomas Okpoti Konney ◽  
Kwabena Amo-Antwi ◽  
Sarah G. Bell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Gynecologic Oncology ◽  
Gynecologic Cancer ◽  
Fellowship Training ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Women ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Tumor Board ◽  
Subspecialty Training

African women have double the risk of dying from cancer than women in high-income countries. In Ghana, most women with gynecological malignancies present with advanced-stage disease when treatment is less effective. Barriers to improved cancer outcomes include the availability of cancer screening, affordability of treatment, and access to gynecologic oncology specialists. In response to a paucity of gynecologic oncology providers, an in-country fellowship training program was established at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in 2013. Historically, Ghanaian resident physicians were sent to other countries for fellowship training and were unlikely to repatriate. The establishment of an in-country training program not only addresses the challenge of “brain drain,” but also builds local capacity in gynecologic oncology education and emphasizes culturally relevant and accessible healthcare. The four-years gynecologic oncology fellowship program at KATH was developed as part of a longitudinal multi-decade partnership between the University of Michigan and academic medical centers in Ghana. The fellowship trains obstetricians and gynecologists to provide subspecialist clinical and surgical care to patients with gynecologic malignancies. Fellows collaborate with the radiation, oncology and pathology departments, participate in monthly inter-institutional tumor board meetings, conduct research, advise on health policy issues, and train subsequent cohorts. This fellowship is representative of emerging twenty-first-century trends in which subspecialty training programs in low-income countries are strengthened by international collaborations. Providing specialized training in gynecologic oncology can help develop and maintain resources that will improve clinical outcomes for women in low-resources settings.

scholarly journals Preparing the healthcare workforce in South Africa for short-course rifampicin-resistant TB treatment: inter-professional training and task-sharing considerations

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason E. Farley ◽  
Norbert Ndjeka ◽  
Khaya Mlandu ◽  
Kelly Lowensen ◽  
Keri Geiger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Tb Treatment ◽  
Short Course ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Professional Nurses

Abstract Background Treatment for rifampicin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (RR-TB) is complex, however, shorter treatment, with newer antimicrobials are improving treatment outcomes. The South African National Department of Health (NDoH) recently accelerated the rollout of 9-month, all-oral, RR-TB short-course regimens. We sought to evaluate an inter-professional training program using pre-test and post-test performance of Professional Nurses (PNs), Advanced Practice Professional Nurses (APPNs) and Medical Officers (MOs) to inform: (a) training needs across cadres; (b) knowledge performance, by cadres; and (c) training differences in knowledge by nurse type. Methods A 4-day didactic and case-based clinical decision support course for RR-TB regimens in South Africa (SA) was developed, reviewed and nationally accredited. Between February 2017 and July 2018, 12 training events were held. Clinicians who may initiate RR-TB treatment, specifically MOs and PN/APPNs with matched pre–post tests and demographic surveys were analyzed. Descriptive statistics are provided. Pre–post test evaluations included 25 evidence-based clinically related questions about RR-TB diagnosis, treatment, and care. Results Participants (N = 842) participated in testing, and matched evaluations were received for 800 (95.0%) training participants. Demographic data were available for 793 (99.13%) participants, of whom 762 (96.1%) were MOs, or nurses, either PN or APPNs. Average correct response pre-test and post-test scores were 61.7% (range 7–24 correct responses) and 85.9% (range 12–25), respectively. Overall, 95.8% (730/762) of participants demonstrated improved knowledge. PNs improved on average 25% (6.22 points), whereas MOs improved 10% (2.89 points) with better mean test scores on both pre- and post-test (p < 0.000). APPNs performed the same as the MOs on post-test scores (p = NS). Conclusions The inter-professional training program in short-course RR-TB treatment improved knowledge for participants. MOs had significantly greater pre-test scores. Of the nurses, APPNs outperformed other PNs, and performed equally to MOs on post-test scores, suggesting this advanced cadre of nurses might be the most appropriate to initiate and monitor treatment in close collaboration with MOs. All cadres of nurse reported the need for additional clinical training and mentoring prior to managing such patients.

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