Canadian residents teaching and learning psychiatry in Ethiopia: a grounded theory analysis focusing on their experiences

Abstract

Objectives: The Toronto Addis Ababa Psychiatry Project (TAAPP) is an international collaboration between University of Toronto and Addis Ababa University. University of Toronto psychiatric residents may participate in TAAPP as an elective. The authors explored the Canadian resident experience in a qualitative study of the project.

Methods: Eleven residents were interviewed using a semistructured questionnaire. Grounded theory was employed to organize participants' experiences and highlight emerging themes. The computer software NVivo7 was used to facilitate data analysis.

Results: Participants described gaining competency as health advocates, collaborators, scholars, and teachers. They endorsed increased sensitivity to cross-cultural issues and greater awareness of global health issues, including practical and ethical ramifications of working at an intersection of cultures. Residents gained international perspective psychiatric practice.

Conclusion: The elective provided unique opportunities for acquiring clinical, teaching, collaborative, leadership and advocacy skills. It prompted participants to consider ethical and cross-cultural issues and allowed them to be mentored intensively by Ethiopian and Canadian teachers and peers.