FAIMER concentrates its activities in developing regions in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These regional concentrations guide the allocation of FAIMER resources including the development of FAIMER Regional Institutes (FRIs). These FRIs are centers of activity where the ongoing exchange of knowledge among health professions educators is intended to expand improvement in local health professions education systems.
FAIMER partners with medical schools and universities to establish FRIs modeled on the International FAIMER Institute (IFI). The FRIs offer a core professional development curriculum in health professions education and leadership developed by FAIMER but adapted to the local context. It is important to note that the core curriculum offered online through the IFI is neither a prerequisite nor an extension to the core curriculum offered through the FRIs. Individuals who complete a fellowship through an FRI or the IFI are provided with a certificate that includes their respective Institute’s name. All certificates are held with equal distinction and prestige.
The core curriculum offered through the FRIs includes residential sessions and distance learning sessions. Each participant is required to propose and implement an education innovation project that is supported by the home institution. The length and number of the residential sessions as well as the number of Fellows accepted each year varies among the Regional Institutes. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some FRIs are offering only online programs.
In addition to the core curriculum, FAIMER is developing new curricula in response to emerging regional and global health professions education needs. FAIMER recently launched a pilot professional development program in Competency-Based Medical Education and additional new curricula will be launched in the near future.
To date there are 10 FRIs, one in Chile, two in China, one in Egypt, four in India, one in Indonesia, and one in Uganda. Applications are encouraged from educators across all health professions disciplines and across national boundaries in the regions. Please see details below.
The Ain Shams University-Middle East North Africa-FAIMER Regional Institute (ASU-MENA-FRI) welcomed its first class of Fellows in January 2019. Based at Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine in Cairo, Egypt, the program is open to health professionals from North Africa and the Middle East. Approximately 35 Fellows will be accepted each year.
The CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute, based at the Christian Medical College at Ludhiana in Punjab, India, welcomed its first group of Fellows in January 2006. The CMCL-FAIMER program was launched under the direction of Tejinder Singh, who served as its Director from 2006-2019, with Dinesh Badyal joining him as Co-Director in 2011. The program is currently led by Dinesh Badyal, and is open to interested health professions educators from South Asia. Sixteen Fellows are accepted each year.
The CMU-FAIMER (formerly CMB-CMU-FAIMER) Regional Institute, the first Regional Institute to be developed in China, began in August 2013. Based at the China Medical University (CMU) in Shenyang, China, the CMU-FAIMER program is organized and administered under the direction of Yang Zhao, with the support of a core team from CMU. The program is open to interested health professions educators from China. Twenty Fellows are accepted each year.
The Eastern Africa FAIMER Regional Institute (EAFRI), under the leadership of Director Sarah Kiguli and Associate Director Samuel Maling, will welcome its first class of Fellows in August 2023. Makerere University College of Health Sciences in Kampala, Uganda, is the EAFRI host institution, and Mbarara University of Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine in Mbarara, Uganda, is the regional partner.
The FAIMER Regional Institute of Indonesia for Educational Development and Leadership (FRIENDSHIP) welcomed its first class of Fellows in February 2019, and is currently under the direction of Yoyo Suhoyo and Rachmadya Nurhidayah. Based at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the program is open to health professionals from Indonesia and surrounding countries who are involved in health professions education. Approximately 30 Fellows are accepted each year.
The FAIMER Regional Institute in Latin America (FRILA) welcomed its first group of Fellows in April 2018. The program, under the direction of Isabel Mora, is conducted in Spanish and is based at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, Chile. The program is open to interested health professionals from Latin America.
The GSMC-FAIMER Regional Institute, the first Regional Institute to be developed, started in June 2005 and is based at the Seth G.S. Medical College in Mumbai, India. The GSMC-FAIMER program was launched under the direction of Avinash Supe, who served as its Director from 2005-2018, with Nirmala Rege joining him as Co-Director from 2010-2018. It is currently led by Co-Directors Praveen Iyer and Henal Shah, with the support of Associate Director Munira Hirkani. The program is open to interested health professions educators from South Asia. Sixteen Fellows are accepted each year.
The MAHE-FAIMER International Institute for Leadership in Interprofessional Education welcomed its first group of Fellows in May 2015. The program, under the direction of Elsa Sanatombi Devi, is based at Manipal Academy of Higher Education in Manipal, India, and is open to all professions interested in contributing to the health of communities, particularly from South Asia. Twenty Fellows are accepted each year. The selected candidates have an opportunity to develop their leadership skills through health related projects that incorporate collaborative interprofessional practice.
The PSG-FAIMER Regional Institute, currently under the direction of Sudha Ramalingam with the support of Associate Director Sumitra Govindarajan, welcomed its first class of Fellows in April 2007. It is based at PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Coimbatore in southern India. The program is open to interested health professions educators from South Asia. Sixteen Fellows are accepted each year.
The SMU-FAIMER Regional Institute welcomed its first group of Fellows in November 2016. The program, under the direction of Zhimin Jia, is based at Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China, and is open to interested health professions educators from China and Southeast Asia. Twenty Fellows are accepted each year.
[Last update: February 15, 2024]
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