July 23 CTSI seminar highlights community-based program in Ghana

The innovative Community-Based Experience and Service (COBES) program of the University of Cape Coast School of Medical Science in Ghana is the focus of an upcoming University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Community of Scholars Seminar.

Derek Anamaale Tuoyire, PhD, MPH, Senior Lecturer and COBES Coordinator, Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana, will present “Community-Based Experience and Service (COBES) Initiative of the University of Cape Coast School of Medical Science, Ghana” online via Zoom at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 23. Register here to watch the seminar.

Tuoyire was invited to speak by CTSI K Scholar John C. Hu, MD, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, who will host the seminar.

“I am thrilled that Dr. Tuoyire will share with us all the amazing work he has done with the community-based program at the University of Cape Coast Medical School,” Hu says. “My introduction to Dr. Tuoyire was during our most recent global health engagement in Ghana, and it was truly inspiring to hear about the impact their medical students have had on the communities they serve. My hope is that this Community of Scholars Seminar will foster additional opportunities and build relationships for future engagements.”

Read more about Hu’s medical mission to Ghana in a UBNow story from March.

The COBES program was designed to serve as a strategy to re-engineer medical training through extensive exposure to rural and underserved communities. This focus would enhance students' understanding of health and disease determinants in natural settings and contexts and foster a willingness in students to accept postings in underserved communities post-qualification as doctors.

COBES places second- to fifth-year medical students in underserved communities for several weeks annually. Its implementation includes the following elements:

• Immersion into rural community life
• Conducting community needs assessments and research into health determinants
• Co-creating practical solutions to problems identified within communities
• Providing services to communities

During his presentation, Tuoyire will outline how the program has impacted two regions, 10 districts, and more than 80 rural communities in Ghana.

For questions about the Community of Scholars Seminar Series, write to scholar1@buffalo.edu or call 716-829-4718.