Faculty Development
CTLI Launches New and Improved Pedagogy Training
In 2019, ULCHS collaborated with Vanderbilt and Mother Patern College of Health Sciences (MPCHS) to adapt a faculty training originally created by MPCHS and Jhpiego under USAID's Maternal and Child Survival Program. Through a three-phase train-the-trainers approach, MPCHS faculty handed over the training program to ULCHS facilitators: the top performing faculty members who from in the initial phase of the training became ULCHS's core trainers.
Faculty memebers and staff from University of Liberia and the College of Health Sciences, during the Pedagogy training 2024 final presentation session.
Under BRIDGE-U: Liberia, the program has continued to grow. In 2022, ULCHS officially launched CTLI, and the Pedagogy training, due to its success, became a core offering under the Faculty Development Activities. Over the years, the program has hosted more than five training sessions, with valuable feedback from both participants and facilitators contributing to its ongoing evolution.
Based on this feedback, CTLI took the opportunity to refine and improve the training materials. The agenda was reorganized, the content was enhanced—drawing on resources like Vanderbilt University’s evidence-based teaching guides—and outdated elements were removed. The culminating portfolio project was also clarified, ensuring a more streamlined and cohesive learning experience. These revisions resulted in updated slides, facilitator guides, and learner workbooks. Participants now have a more intentional focus on completing a comprehensive teaching portfolio and benefit from greater opportunities for mentor and peer feedback.
This enhanced training not only improves the pedagogical skills of ULCHS faculty but also standardizes the program, ensuring that it is fully owned and operated by the university. As CTLI continues to refine and expand its offerings, it remains committed to fostering academic excellence and innovative teaching practices across Liberia’s health sciences community.
CTLI’s commitment to continuous improvement ensures that future healthcare educators are equipped with the skills and knowledge to effectively train the next generation of medical professionals.
10 Resident Doctors and Specialist Physicians Trained as Teachers and Leaders
Photos from the Residents as Teachers and Leaders (RATL) 2024 training at JFK Medical Center
The "Residents as Teachers and Leaders" (RATL) program, a core initiative of the Faculty Development Program at CTLI, held a four-day training session as part of its 2024 agenda at JFK Medical Center. A cohort of ten residents and specialist physicians participated in this intensive training, eight of whom were females.
During her opening remarks, Dr. Odell Kumeh praised the originators of the RATL training at Vanderbilt, now adapted by ULCHS. She emphasized the importance of this program in Liberia, noting that while many medical professionals are experts in their fields, they often assume leadership roles for which they are unprepared. Residents, who are primarily responsible for mentoring and guiding medical students in hospitals, often lack formal training in education and basic teaching skills.
At the close of the training, Mrs. Comfort Enders described teaching as the foundation for passing on knowledge and skills to future generations. She expressed confidence that the newly trained residents had gained valuable tools to enhance their teaching and leadership abilities. She congratulated both the participants and facilitators, noting that all facilitators were former trainees of the RATL program, and praised the program's localization and sense of ownership.