As a general rule, the more communication and dialogue takes place between you and the local team before your visit, the more productive and efficient your visit is likely to be.
Taking a UK trainee with you is encouraged because it has significant benefits:
- it helps with teaching of local trainees;
- it facilitates audit/quality improvement activity; and
- it enables development of ongoing professional relationships
Urolink is keen to encourage longitudinal links with visit centres, because they enable ongoing educational activity. Ideally, Urolink would hope to see visit reports which contain statements of achievement similar to those below:
“ ... the Urolink team met with local surgeons & agreed to help with development of the curriculum & support examinations (COSECSA) ..."
" ... Consultants in the department are now performing regular TURP & collecting audit data to assess complications, length of stay etc ... trainees are performing flexible cystoscopy lists in the outpatient clinic (Zambia) ... "
" ... initial assessment of the service identified the need for TURP training performed under the supervision of the Urolink faculty (Zambia) ..."