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. 2020 Mar 20;10(2):1081.
doi: 10.4081/jphia.2019.1081. eCollection 2019 Dec 31.

Mentored postdoctoral training in Zimbabwe: A report on a successful collaborative effort

Danai T Zhou  1 , Charles C Maponga  2 , Munyaradzi Madhombiro  3 , Admire Dube  4 , Runyararo Mano  5 , Albert Nyamhunga  6 , Ian Machingura  1 , Justen Manasa  7 , James Hakim  8 , Z Mike Chirenje  9 , Tinashe Mudzviti  2 , Charles Nhachi  10 , Qing Ma  11 , Robin DiFrancesco  11 , Rangarirai Masanganise  12 , Gene D Morse  11
Affiliations

Mentored postdoctoral training in Zimbabwe: A report on a successful collaborative effort

Danai T Zhou et al. J Public Health Afr. .

Abstract

Low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) have high disease burdens, necessitating increased research. However, LMIC research output constitutes only 2% of global total. To increase output, researchers must be capacitated. The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and the University at Buffalo (UB), developed and implemented the AIDS International Research Training Program (AITRP), in 2008, that focused on graduate scholars. The subsequent HIV Research Training Program (HRTP), begun in 2016, and piloted post-doctoral training to enhance research productivity at UZ. This report discusses the collaboration. As of 2016, prospective candidates applied by submitting letters of intent, research proposals, curriculum vitae and biographical sketches. The scholars research training included hypothesis and project development, completion of grant applications, research project budgets, research presentations to diverse audiences and the application of advanced statistics to research data. The first cohort of five postdoctoral scholars were trained at UZ and UB, between 2016 and 2019. Through the formalized postdoctoral training approach, scholars identified areas of focus. In 2017, one of the scholars obtained a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Emerging Global Leader Award and is now a highly-rated researcher based in South Africa. A second scholar made NIH D43 and K43 grant applications, while the remaining three are academicians and early researchers at UZ. Although research output in Africa and many LMICs is low, it can be built through cooperation similar to the UZ-UB HRTP. This manuscript reports on an effort aimed at building individual and institutional research capacity in Zimbabwe. This can serve as a model for building other similar training programs.

Keywords: HRTP; LMIC; Zimbabwe; formalized; postdoctoral.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: The authors declare no potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The benefits of the UZ-UB formalized postdoctoral training approach includes a focused mentoring of trainees using various methods ranging from one-on-one meetings, a group forum, and collaborative activities such as grant writing and manuscript writing. A structured training visit to UB creates protected time for research and for activities that generate new research skills and improve the fellow’s research portfolio.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Flow chart of training program: Fellows are required to produce an individual development plan (IDP), with assistance of their mentors, in which their individual areas of focus for training are clearly specified. Mentees undergo training using one-one-one mentoring, collaborative assignments, work shadowing and experiential learning. Through this formalized training each mentee is expected to develop skills to be able to mentor others in future.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Format of training, Fellows are trained using various means ranging from didactic teaching, seminars, one-on-one mentoring and experiential learning.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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