UMN_KUMS_MAHE Exchange Program@ Cairo, Egypt

The forth and the final face to face training for the faculty KUMS was held at Cairo Marriott Hotel, Egypt from January 21^st to 25^th, 2019. There were around twenty- two participants from four departments namely- medical laboratory anesthesiology, midwifery, and dentistry. I was invited to this concluding training session, as I was entrusted with the duty of being the faculty lead for the KUMS dentistry group. The topic discussed during this 5 days program included research methodologies and partnership sustainability.

The first three and half days were dedicated to learning and discussing various aspects of research methodologies. The primary instructors during these sessions where Mr. Darin Erickson,  Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at school of Public health in UMN and Ms. Carolyn Porta,  Professor in the School of Nursing, UMN and more importantly the Principle investigator of this partnership program. The sessions included both lecture and small group activities. I was entrusted with the responsibility of a facilitator during small group discussion in the stomatology group.

During the afternoon session of the fourth day, the faculty lead from each department had to present the achievements of the partnership project. They had to illustrate ways by which the information received during this training programs where disseminated to the rest of the faculty at KUMS. They also highlighted the changes in the institution as a resultant of this exchange program. 

On the last day of the program, during the morning session, there was a brainstorming session on how the partnership can be sustained. The problems encountered and the practical solution for the same was discussed during the mentorship program. Furthermore, the possibility of a conducting a "short-term externship" for 4 of our KUMS colleagues from each of the specialty at Manipal was also expressed.