Report (<i>Tropical Doctor</i>) Letter from ... Malawi: the first year of the College of Medicine of the University of Malawi

Prologue The College of Medicine at the University of Malawi came into existence on 1 April 1991. Planning for this moment commenced some years ago. In 1986 a document ‘A Plan for Medical Education in Malawi’! was produced with the support of the Government of Malawi. Among other proposals, recommendations were made ‘that 25 eligible students be sent ... to St Andrews’ University (15) and University College London (10) in order to gain their preclinical qualifications...’. The students did not return in 1989 to commence Year 3 as planned, but, after doing 2 years of clinical work at London teaching hospitals namely University College, St Bartholomew’s, St Mary’s and the Royal Free returned in September 1991, to take their final undergraduate year in Malawi. By September 1991, teaching units had been built adjacent to the medical, surgical, paediatric and obstetric and gynaecological wards at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre. Teaching and accommodation blocks were also completed at the town of Mangochi on Lake Malawi, in association with the Mangochi District Hospital, in order to facilitate the teaching of Community Health. Academic staff (15 in all) had been appointed to the five clinical disciplines during the previous year and they arrived in May and June 1991, allowing time for the College of Medicine to plan and develop the curriculum, with emphasis on this inaugural year of final year teaching.