Establishing and Upgrading Physical Therapist Education in Developing Countries: Four Case Examples of Service by Japan and United States Physical Therapist Programs to Nigeria, Suriname, Mongolia, and Jordan

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Physical therapist (PT) professional (entry-level) education programs are non-existent in most developing countries. The PT professional education programs that do exist in some developing countries may need to upgrade and strengthen their existing curricula. Many of these programs are in significant need of additional PT faculty and advanced education for their existing PT faculty. Efforts to create or enhance PT education programs in developing countries are frequently limited by inadequate human and material resources. Method/Model Description and Evaluation. This paper describes and discusses 4 models of collaboration and international partnerships in which educators and PT education programs in developed countries with more human and material resources partner with universities in developing countries to help establish or enhance PT education programs. Experiences of PT education programs in the US working with programs in Nigeria, Suriname, and Jordan, and a program in Japan working with a program in Mongolia, are presented. Outcomes. The models of collaboration between service and host countries resulted in provision of online education to practicing physical therapists, consultation on curriculum, short-term teaching/consulting for existing and developing programs, and PhD education of foreign PTs with the intention that they return to their country of origin as faculty members in PT programs. Discussion and Conclusion. These case examples of international collaboration serve as models for other PT programs and educators to form similar international partnerships and to develop new models. Key Words: International, Education, Physical therapy. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Developing countries carry over 55% of the global burden of disease, but have less than 15% of global health care work force.1 In contrast, many developed countries carry a lower global burden of disease, but have a relatively higher ratio of the global health care work force. For instance, the United States with 10% of the global burden of disease has 25% of the global health care work force; whereas Africa, which carries 25% the global burden of disease, has less than 4% of the global health care work force.24 The shortage of health care work force in developing countries is exacerbated by migration of health care professionals from resourcepoor to resource-rich countries. This concept of migration is known as brain drain.2,510 Often, health care professionals in developing countries immigrate either for pecuniary reasons, a poor practice environment and infrastructure, or political instability.7,1113 To address this disparity and perennial health care work force shortage, efforts by the World Health Organization (WHO) and governments in developed and developing countries primarily focus on training, retention, and recruitment of health care professionals in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, imaging, and medical laboratory sciences.14,15 For instance, education and training specific to medical and nursing health care professionals in sub-Sahara African countries have received a tremendous boost in funding, human and material resources, and partnerships with many US academic institutions.1618 These initiatives, driven by HIV/ AIDS funding, have been funded by the US government through the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI)19,20 and the Nursing Education Partnership Initiative (NEPI)21,22 programs of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.19,20 Specifically, successful upgrading of nursing education programs through NEPI have been reported for Botswana, Lesotho, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Brazil, India, Thailand, and the Philippines.22 The Consortium of Universities for Global Health,23 comprised of over 50 academic institutions in the United States and Canada, and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, currently partner with developing countries and their institutions. …