Work

Co-creating point-of-care ultrasound education for family medicine in Ethiopia: reflections on pedagogy, faculty development, and academic partnership

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly becoming an essential clinical and educational tool in low to middle income countries (LMICs), where formal imaging is often delayed or inaccessible. This commentary reflects on the co-creation and longitudinal implementation of a Family Medicine-focused point-of-care ultrasound education initiative at Addis Ababa University (AAU), developed through the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration in Family Medicine (TAAAC-FM). We discuss how this initiative, while addressing an immediate diagnostic need, also functions as a curricular lever for faculty development, a pathway for professional identity formation, and can foster unique pathways for ongoing departmental sustainability. We discuss the partnership structures and equity considerations that shaped program design and situate this work within broader efforts to strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC) and advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC). These reflections offer transferable insight for academic collaborations seeking to align educational innovation with health system transformation in resource-constrained settings.

Source: Frontiers in Medicine

DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1926736

Authors: Bilal Negash, Leila Makhani, Jamie Rodas, Eden Habtemariam, Praseedha Janakiram, Michael Bartucci

Institutions: University of Toronto, Addis Ababa University

Language: English

Topic: Ultrasound in Clinical Applications

Subfield: Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Partnerships for the goals, Quality education, Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801