Ethiopian residents join WONCA with help from a colleague

Photo: several of the Ethiopian residents who have recently signed up for WONCA Direct Membership are included in this photo (see key at bottom of article)

The first family medicine residency in Ethiopia began at Addis Ababa University (AAU) in February 2013 (see WONCA News item March 2013 and Society of Teachers of Family Medicine 2014 article by Philpott.). Now in its third year, there are 20 residents with the first seven expected to graduate in January 2016. Two resident physicians will remain at AAU to be the first Ethiopian family medicine faculty. A second year resident, Dr Sena Dhugassa, attended the WONCA Africa conference, in May 2015, and was inspired by representatives from regional family medicine programs.

The AAU residency leadership has been assisted by American, British and Canadian expatriate faculty including Ann Evensen MD FAAFP, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr Evensen volunteered at the residency for seven weeks in summer 2015 as a clinical supervisor, instructor, research colleague, and mentor.

With the support of the WONCA administration, her family subsidized WONCA membership for 14 Ethiopian family medicine residents who wished to join. We are inspired to see these patient-focused and community-minded physicians lead and define the new specialty of family medicine in Ethiopia.

Key to above photo: (all individuals are residents from Addis Ababa University School of Medicine Family Medicine program except as noted; please note that physicians in Ethiopia are addressed by their first name. There are 2 "Dr Assefa" residents and 2 "Dr Daniel" physicians - one is a resident, one is faculty - so their last names are listed for clarity.)

kneeling left - Dr. Shimeles
kneeling center - Dr. Assefa Beyene
kneeling right - Dr. Murutse
standing front row L to R: Dr. Assefa A, Dr. Betelihem, Dr. Meseret, Dr. Tigist (AAU emergency medicine faculty), Dr. Sawra, Dr. Amal (AAU radiology faculty), Dr. Judith Peranson (family medicine faculty, U of Toronto), Dr. Adane, Dr. Assegid
standing between Betelihem and Meseret: Dr. Sena
standing between Meseret and Tigist: Dr. Sofia (AAU emergency medicine faculty)
standing back row L to R: Dr. Yonas (AAU psychiatry faculty), Dr. Abbas Ghavam-Rassoul (family medicine faculty, U of Toronto), Dr. Hadish, Dr. Surapheal, Dr. Eshetu, Dr. Mesfin (AAU psychiatry faculty), Dr. Hal Evensen (engineering physics faculty, U of Wisconsin-Platteville), Dr. Daniel Zemenfas (AAU general and GI surgery faculty -- he is the new Addis Ababa University family medicine program director taking over for Dr. Dawit of psychiatry who is now on sabbatical), Dr. Ann Evensen (family medicine faculty, U of Wisconsin-Madison), Dr. Dufera (AAU cardiology faculty)

Missing AAU residents who have registered for WONCA: Dr. Robel, Dr. Nuhamin, Dr. Jemal, Dr. Daniel Shiferaw