Report Train the Trainers workshop in Jamaica April 2010

‘Effective project planning and evaluation in biomedical research’ Train-the-Trainer course

The University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica April 6-9 2010

COURSE REPORT Trainers: Linda Pereira and Ligia Gómez

Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 1 of 17

REPORT CONTENT Report summary in English 1. Course context a. Purpose of the course and how it fits in the organizing institution programme? b. Trainers´ background and experience in running the course 2. Course organization and preparation a. Prior-communication with participants b. Organization of co-training c. Organization of logistics 3. List of participants 4. Agenda 5. Time management 6. Course assessment a. Summary of plenary session and questionnaire comments 7. Lessons learnt and recommendations 8. Appendices Appendix A: Preliminary plan for EPPE dissemination in the Caribbean

Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 2 of 17

Report Summary This “Effective Project Planning and Evaluation in Biomedical Research” (EPPE) Train-the-Trainer course was organized an d supported by the University of the West Indies (UWI, http://www.mona.uwi.edu/), Clinical Epidemiology Unit (CEU), in Kingston, Jamaica from April 6th through 9th, 2010, following the first skill building course held in November 2009. The TTT course strengthens UWI´s process of integrating the EPPE methodology and represents a first step in creating the necessary capacity for disseminating these project management skills in the Caribbean region.

The TTT course was supported by the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research & Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR/WHO, http://apps.who.int/tdr/), the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO, http://www.paho.org/researchportal, both headquarters and the Jamaica country office), and the International Center for Medical Research and Training (CIDEIM, http://www.cideim.org.co) in Cali, Colombia. The financial resources provided by PAHO/WHO included funds graciously provided by the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo – AECID, http://www.aecid.es/web/es/) to strengthen regional capacities to produce and use relevant, valid, and ethical research in guiding health care decisions.

The course was run by Linda Pereira (PAHO) and Ligia Gomez (CIDEIM). The participants included 3 individuals from the UWI CEU and 1 individual from the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH), who had participated in a skill-building course at UNAH in 2008.

The course was scheduled for and completed in 4 days. At the end of the course, the participants expressed that their expectations for the course had been met in terms of strengthening their understanding of the methodology and providing them with clear tools for running their own courses. In addition, there was a chance to discuss the development of a preliminary plan for the dissemination process in the Caribbean with Drs. Ernest Pate and Gustavo Vargas from the PAHO Jamaica country office.

Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 3 of 17

1. Course context a. Purpose of the course and how it fits in the organizing institution programme?

CIDEIM was selected as a WHO/TDR Regional Training Center (for the Latin American and Caribbean region) for the Planning for Success Initiative in 2007. As such, CIDEIM conducts both EPPE skill-building and Train-the-Trainer courses in order to strengthen project management capacity among researchers and related administrative personnel, and propel the dissemination of the EPPE methodology.

The EPPE methodology was first introduced to CIDEIM by Dr. Beatrice Halpaap in early 2007. Since then, CIDEIM has integrated EPPE concepts and tools into its internal processes for research development, planning, implementation and evaluation.

CIDEIM has led a total of nine EPPE skill-building courses, with the participation of 142 individuals. The methodology has been disseminated to faculty and staff in five Colombian institutions (Universidad del Valle, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Universidad of Rosario, Centro Dermatológico Federico Lleras Acosta, and Centro de Estudio de Infecciones Pediátricas), and five institutions in Central American and the Caribbean (Hospital Escuela and National Autonomous University of Honduras; Pontificia Catholic University of Ecuador; the Pedro Kouri Institute of Cuba, and the University of West Indies in Jamaica). Fourteen CIDEIM staff and investigators from the Pedro Kouri Institute in Cuba (2), the Universidad Nacional Autónoma from Honduras (4), the Federico Lleras Dermatologic Center (2), the Universidad del Valle (1), and the University of West Indies (3) have been trained as EPPE trainers.

The UWI-CEU comprises the Epidemiology Research Unit (ERU) in the Tropical Medicine Research Institute (TMRI), UWI and colleagues from the Faculties of Medical Sciences and Social Sciences, and the Centre for Gender and Development Studies of the UWI. Together, they have been admitted to the International Clinical Epidemiology Network (INCLEN) as a Clinical Epidemiology Unit (CEU) of the Canada/ USA International Clinical Epidemiology Network (CanUSACLEN) branch of INCLEN. UWI’s involvement in strengthening of health research capacity through the EPPE methodology is part of their integration into INCLEN. b. Trainers background and experience in running the course Linda Pereira participated in the EPPE skill-building course conducted at PAHO by Dr. Beatrice Halpaap (TDR) and Dr. Lyda Osorio (CIDEIM, Universidad del Valle).

She then participated in a shortened TTT course led by Dr. Halpaap at PAHO in December 2007. This TTT course was immediately followed by a skill-building course at PAHO led by Linda and another colleague from PAHO, with Dr. Halpaap as an observer. As mentioned previously, she participated as a co-trainer in the skillbuilding course held at UWI in November 2009.

Ligia Gómez participated in a skill-building course led by Dr. Halpaap at Yale University. This was a shortened version of the course, targeting Master’s students.

She then participated in the first TTT course held at CIDEIM in June 2007. Since

Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 4 of 17

then, she has led three skill-building courses (including the skill-building course at UWI in November 2009) and one TTT course.

2. Course organization and preparation a. Prior-communication with participants Prior communication with the course participants was coordinated through the UWI contacts (Shelly McFarlane and Novelette Campbell). Communication about the course between CIDEIM, PAHO and UWI began in January, and course dates for the course were selected by February. Participants and funding were confirmed by early March. UWI participants received an introductory email from trainers, including an overview of the course and preparation requirements, on March 16th (3 weeks prior to the start of the course). There were changes to the participant list the week before the course, but prior communication with the National Autonomous University of Honduras and the support of the PAHO headquarters and Honduras offices facilitated the last-minute integration of Emilia Alduvin to the course. All logistical details for the course were coordinated very smoothly with the UWI contacts. b. Organization of co-training Once the dates for the course were confirmed, the two trainers held two teleconferences in order to discuss course participants, logistics and distribution of course modules. Since one trainer is based in Colombia and one in Washington, D.C., many details related to course preparation were discussed over email. In addition, the trainers traveled to Jamaica one day prior to the start of the course, which was spent reviewing the course agenda and material in detail in preparation for the course. c. Organization of logistics Course logistics were organized by trainers (with Ligia GĂłmez taking the lead in communications) and the UWI contacts. A course logistics checklist was developed and shared with the UWI contacts, who then took care of all arrangements related to course location, tea and lunch orders, flipchart and markers, and necessary photocopies. The trainers developed the course agenda based on their past training experiences and were sure to have this approved by the UWI team.

Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 5 of 17

3. List of Participants “Effective Project Planning and Evaluation in Health Research” Train-the Trainer course LIST OF PARTICIPANTS Jamaica, April 6-9, 2010 Participant

DEGREE/ PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

E-mail

Marshal Tulloch-Reid

MD, MPhil, DSc Endocrinologist and Epidemiologist Investigator

Marshall.tullochreid@uwimona.edu.jm

Shelly McFarlane

Medical Technologist, Biochemist, Research Fellow, MPhil Candidate Coordinator

Shelly.mcfarlane02@uwimona.edu.jm

Novie Younger

PhD Applied Statistics MSc Biometry Statistician

Novie.younger@uwimona.edu.jm

Emilia Alduvin

MSc Professor Masters in Public Health Program Medical Sciences Department Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras

Erika Ellis *

Rainford Wilks *

ealduvin@gmail.com

BSc Psychology/Sociology MSc Applied Psychology Sr: Administrative Assistant Institute for Gender and Developmental Studies

Erika.ellis02@uwimona.edu.jm

DM, MSc. FRCP (Edin) Professor of Epidemiology/ Consultant Physician Investigator

Rainford.wilks@uwimona.edu.jm

*: Could not attend the course due to last-minute issues.

Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 6 of 17

‘Effective project planning and evaluation in health research’

TDR Train-the-trainer course April 6-9, 2010 University of West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica

Agenda Objectives of the course In the context of strengthening the skills of potential trainers to enable them to train researchers to effectively plan, implement, monitor and evaluate biomedical research projects, the objectives of the course are: − To check/ensure that the process of project planning and evaluation has been assimilated and the related skills have been strengthened − To enhance abilities and confidence to transfer these skills to researchers − To strengthen presentation skills − To strengthen training skills including facilitation skills − To strengthen course organization capabilities

DAY 1 Names

Tentative schedule

Real time

8:30-9:30 9:30-10:15 10:15-10:30

9:20-9:40 9:40-10:30 10:30-10:45

Welcome, introduction, expectations “Introduction and overview of the TTT course” Coffee break

10:30-11:00

10:45-11:00

11:00-12:00 12:00-12:30

11:00-11:40 11:40-12:00

12:30-13:30

12:40-1:40

Presentation of the training material LG (handbooks/CDrom) “Presentation skills” LG Key messages to transfer during each presentation LG (review of key messages listed under the first slide of each module presentation in the Training manual for Trainers) Lunch

13:30-13:45

12:00-12:10

13:45-15:15

12:1012:40, 1:402:45

BOTH LP

Organization of practice sessions (1) LG Agree on which participants will present which modules. Each participant will present twice halfa-module presentations.

Presentation preparation (in groups of 2 participants presenting the same presentation) Each participant prepares the parts of the 2 presentations that he/she will make on day 2– both Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 7 of 17

participants presenting the same presentation discuss the presentation content.

15:15-15:30

3:15-3:30

Coffee break

15:30-17:00

“Training skills”

Parts 1 & 2 – LP Part 3- LG

17:00-17:15

Part 1: 2:453:15 Part 2 & 3: 3:30-4:40 4:40-5:00

Organization of practice sessions (2) − agree on facilitation roles and software demonstration roles; − presentation of the Case study question guide

LG

17:15-17:30

5:00-5:15

Review of day 1 & lessons learnt to be taken into consideration the following days.

Main presentation and facilitation tips are written on the flip chart.

BOTH

8:50-10:00

Going through the Step-by-step guide

DAY 2 8:30- 9:15

Gantt: LG PERT: LP

PRACTICE During these practice sessions each TTT participant will have the opportunity to present part of a module, facilitate its discussion, reflect on his/her performance and discuss with the group how to improve.

When a TTT participant presents, other TTT participants play the role of participants of a skill building course (i.e. ask questions, provide comments on the content of the presentation).

10:45-11:10

Presenting 'Introduction' + 15 min discussion on the content Discussion on presenters’ skills − Presenters’ perspective − Group discussion

10:30-10:45

10:00-10:15

Coffee break

10:45-11:30

11:10-11:55

9:15-10:00

10:15-10:45

10:00-10:10 10:10-10:30

11:55-12:20

Presenting 'Module 1' + 15 min discussion on the content Discussion on presenters’ skills − Presenters’ perspective − Group discussion

12:00-13:00

12:20-1:35

Lunch

13:00-14:00

1:35-2:20

11:30-11:40 11:40-12:00

2:20-2:40 14:00-14:10

Presenting 'Module 2' + 15 min discussion on content Discussion on presenters’ skills − Presenters’ perspective Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 8 of 17

Presenter 1: MTR Presenter 2:SM

Presenter 3:EA Presenter 4: NY

Presenter 5: NY Presenter 6: SM

14:10-14:20 14:20-15:10

2:40-3:20 3:20-3:30

15:10-15:20 15:20-15:30 15:30-15:45

3:30-3:47

− Group discussion Presenting 'Module 3' + 15 min discussion on content Discussion on presenters’ skills − Presenters’ perspective − Group discussion

Presenter 2:SM Presenter 1:MTR

Coffee break

Facilitation of module 3 case study by a participant. Other TTT participants play the role of skill building course participants.

- Example 1 (statement, goal, objectives, indicators, main Facilitator 1: MTR 15:45-16:30 3:47-4:30 steps)

- Example 2 (statement, goal, objectives, indicators, main

16:30-17:15

4:40-5:25

17:15-17:30 17:30-17:45 17:30-18:00

As part of presentations Discussion on facilitators’ skills above Facilitators’ perspective Group discussion 5:30-5:40 Review of day 2 and lessons learnt

steps)

Facilitator 2: SM

DAY 3 8:45-10:00 8:30-9:30 10:00-10:30 9:30-9:40 9:40-9:50 9:50-10:30

10:45-11:47

As part of demo above

PRACTICE cont'd Presenting 'Module 4' + 15 min discussion Discussion on presenters’ skills − Presenters’ perspective − Group discussion Gantt demonstration by 2 participants + discussion on the content/use of software

Gantt demonstrator 1: EA Gantt demonstrator 2: NY

Discussion on demonstrators’ skills − Demonstrators’ perspective − Group discussion Coffee break

10:30-10:35 10:35-10:45 10:45-11:00

10:30-10:45

11:00-11:45

11:47-12:25

PERT demonstration by 2 participants + discussion on use of software

As part of demo above

Discussion on demonstrators’ skills

11:45-11:50 11:50-12:00

Presenter 4:NY Presenter 3:EA

− Demonstrators’ perspective − Group discussion Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 9 of 17

PERT demonstrator 1: SM PERT demonstrator 2: MTR

12:00-12:30

12:25-1:10

12:30-13:30

1:10-1:55

13:30-13:50

1:55-2:30

13:50-14:00 14:00-14:10 14:10-15:05

2:30-3:00

15:05-15:45

3:00-3:30

15:45-16:00

3:30-3:40

Not Scheduled Not Scheduled Not Scheduled 16:00-17:00

3:40-5:00

17:00-17:15

Facilitation of module 4 case study by a participant Gantt chart (presentation of one example + discussion on the Gantt chart) Lunch PERT chart (presentation of one example + discussion on the PERT chart) Discussion on facilitators’ skills Facilitators’ perspective Group discussion Gantt demonstration practice and discussion in small groups PERT demonstration practice and discussion in small groups Coffee break

Facilitator 3:NY

Facilitator 4:EA

5:00-5:40

Sharing lessons learnt from previous skill-building LG courses 'Prepare yourself for a coming course' LP

5:40-6:00

'Organizing a course'

Was done throughout the 3 previous sections 6:00-6:10

General review and Question & Answer session (tips for facilitation, questions to ask participants, etc.)

Review of day 3 and lessons learnt

8:45-9:05

PRACTICE cont'd Presenting 'Module 5 + discussion on content

LG

DAY 4 8:30-9:45

9:05-10:00 9:45- 9:50 9:50-10:00 10:00-10:15

10:00-10:20 10:20-11:40

10:15-10:45

10:45-10:55

Presenter 6:EA Presenter 5:MTR

Discussion on presenters’ skills − Presenters’ perspective − Group discussion Coffee break Facilitation of module 5 case study by a participant - Team work and communication framework (one example) + discussion on content Discussion on facilitators’ skills Facilitators’ perspective Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 10 of 17

Facilitator 5:SM

10:55-11:05 11:05-11:35

Group discussion Reporting (one example) + discussion on content

11:35-11:45 11:45-12:00 12:00-13:00

12:10-1:20

Discussion on facilitators’ skills Facilitators’ perspective Group discussion Lunch

13:30-14:00 14:00-14:15 14:15-14:45 14:45-15:00

Done Day 3 Done Day 3 1:20-2:00 Done Day 3

'Prepare yourself for a coming course' 'Organizing a course' Course assessment – Discussion Sharing lessons learnt from previous skill-building courses Coffee break

11:40-12:10 2:00-3:30

Course assessment –Questionnaires Next steps Closing of the course

15:00-15:15 15:15-15:45 15:45-16:45 16:45-17:00

Facilitator 6:NY

‘Presenters’ are TTT participants presenting a module presentation (introduction, module 1, module 2, module 3, module 4 or module 5) in front of the group during the practice sessions.

Each presenter will have 2 opportunities to present a part (first or second part) of a module presentation.

‘Demonstrators’ are TTT participants demonstrating the use of Microsoft Project and Microsoft power point in front of the rest of the group. Each participant will demonstrate a part of the Gantt chart demonstration and a part of the PERT chart demonstration.

‘Facilitators’ are TTT participants facilitating a simulated case study discussion (module 3, module 4 or module 5).

Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 11 of 17

5. Time management All steps of the methodology were completed with sufficient time for discussion, although with modifications to the pre-established agenda. The review of the Step-by-Step Guide (morning of Day 2) took longer than expected, as well as some of the discussions of presenter/demonstration/facilitation skills. The trainers realized that these discussions were critical to the success of the learning process, and therefore chose to not limit them too much.

The small number of participants (four participants versus six participants, as initially proposed) allowed each participant to have more chances to do mock presentations, which led to the discussions on presentation and facilitation skills being shorter during the end of the course. In addition, the lower number of participants required less time for Gantt and PERT chart practice. This allowed some sessions originally programmed for Day 4 (Review of lessons learned, organizing and preparing a course) to be done during the afternoon of Day 3.

The discussion regarding planning future courses as new trainers began as part of the Day 3 “General review and Q&A session”, and it therefore seemed appropriate to go into the final modules of the TTT course which deal with some of the questions participants were posing directly. The final day therefore focused on Module 5, course assessment and discussion of next steps. This last session included the participation of Professor Rainford Wilks from UWI and Dr. Gustavo Vargas (in representation of Dr. Ernest Pate) from the PAHO Jamaica Office, and was an opportunity to develop a preliminary plan for the continued dissemination of the EPPE methodology in the Caribbean. It was beneficial to have extra time at the end of the last day for this meeting.

6. Course assessment 1. Summary of plenary session and questionnaire comments •

•

At the start of the course, the participants indicated the following as their expectations for the TTT course: o To strengthen their understanding of the EPPE methodology and how to apply it in their daily work o To gain more confidence in terms of disseminating the EPPE skills to other researchers and relevant staff o To go more into depth into how the methodology can be used in the development of proposals and the writing of reports o To determine steps for the dissemination of the EPPE methodology in the Caribbean, beyond Jamaica In general, the participants expressed that their expectations for the course had been met satisfactorily. o The TTT course allowed them to clarify and reinforce certain EPPE concepts. In addition, the discussions with participants and trainers during the course provided a clearer idea of how the systematic methodology can be used for the development of proposals with their teams. There was an extensive discussion about Module 5 (Implementing and Evaluating) on Day 4 of the course which included the sharing of more concrete ideas in relation to the use of the Gantt and PERT Charts for monitoring project progress, and how this regular monitoring could then feed into comprehensive and timely reports. o Participants expressed that they were initially skeptical about whether a 4-day long TTT course was actually justified. After having gone through the course, they felt the mock presentations provided an excellent opportunity to become Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 12 of 17

more confident with the material in a safe space and to also start developing their own training style. The participants were also grateful for the low number of participants and the increased chances to do mock presentations that this allowed.

They also stated that the small number ensured that all of them were fully engaged throughout the course and were forced to become very familiar with most of the EPPE curriculum. The participants also expressed that the trainers were very attentive to all details during the participant presentations, providing very precise commentary on strengths and weaknesses for each. Several of the participants shared that they were uncertain whether the course would prepare them enough to actually lead their own skill-building course, but definitely felt much closer to being an EPPE trainer after the TTT course. o The participants felt that the training curriculum and the discussions with the trainers (along with the meeting with Drs. Pate and Vargas from the PAHO Jamaica office) provided them with the necessary logistical tools to coordinate and run their own courses, as well as with a clear vision on next steps for dissemination in the region. This process will focus first on providing further training for individuals of the CEU, then branching out to other key academic and research institutions in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and then hosting a second TTT course to consolidate the cadre of EPPE trainers in the region. More details on this preliminary plan are included in Appendix A.

Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 13 of 17

7. Lessons Learnt and Recommendations •

•

•

•

•

•

•

In terms of course organization, it was crucial to begin preparatory discussions early on.

In this case, the initial emails to prompt course organization started 4 months before the course was held, and this provided enough time to coordinate dates and participant selection, and resolve funding needs.

It was beneficial to have shared news about the upcoming TTT course in Jamaica with other institutions of the Latin American and Caribbean region, as this facilitated the inclusion of a participant from Honduras with little time in advance. Although this is not ideal, and the participant did state that she would have found it useful to have more time to prepare for the course, open communication between the relevant institutions and high levels of enthusiasm for the EPPE initiative permitted a concerted effort to open the course to another external participant. This situation also highlighted the need for careful participant selection, having clear criteria for inclusion, and doing a thorough analysis of the potential participant´s availability to become involved in the EPPE initiative before he/she commits to the course.

As has been the case in the past, it was crucial for both trainers and participants to be flexible with the agenda, providing time for relevant and productive discussions, while also being aware of what needs to be accomplished at what point to ensure that all steps of the course are completed.

The mix of participants with different disciplinary backgrounds and from different institutions enriched the course, both in terms of bringing together different perspectives on the EPPE methodology, diverse training styles, and also providing an opportunity for sharing their experiences in research.

The participants were receptive to the visual aid used at the start of the Communication Skills module (short excerpt of An Inconvenient Truth as a means to spark discussion among participants about different presentation styles), and felt that it would be helpful to include more audiovisual aids in both the skill-building and TTT courses. For example, during the mock presentation of the Introduction Module, one of the participants showed a short video on “Preparing for Thanksgiving” which highlighted how ad-hoc planning can be confusing and unproductive.

It might be helpful for the trainees to know in advance the target timeframes to aim for as they begin preparing for: 1) presenting the first few slides (overview or say what you are going to say) for each module, the reoccurring slides (i.e. slide #7 and #9 of intro the three-phase cycle of the methodology and experiential learning cycle), and 3) the demonstration of the Gantt (25 minutes) and PERT charts (20 minutes). This might be accomplished on Day one, while going over the materials and refer to slides from TTT manual #11-12).

The participants shared many additional ideas and suggestions for improvement of the skill-building course curriculum, such as the following: o Improve and standardize wording of learning objectives o Review and revise the KEP example to ensure it is consistent throughout o Develop examples for other disciplines (administrative, social science, etc.) o Better highlight the relevance/purpose of Module 1 in relation to the rest of the course o Integrate ethics content (beyond GCP) in Module 1 o Streamline and shorten the list of Project Manager responsibilities in Module 2 o Review/update Step-by-Step Guide to address the differences between 2003 and 2007 versions of the software and to ensure that the demonstration for MS PowerPoint better illustrates the flow of the PERT chart. o Suggestions for improving Module 5: Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 14 of 17

•

Recap differences between indicators and milestones as a bridge to explaining different types of project reports Review actual examples of scientific versus progress reports Reiterate different roles of Project Manager and Principal Investigator Integrate content on conducting effective meetings Include samples of three tables that participant groups are supposed to develop as the case study (team description, communication framework and reporting), and integrate the following components: • Contact details in the team description table • Outputs of meetings in communication framework • Responsible persons in reporting table • Use example to highlight need for regular communication throughout entire project and tools to facilitate this Regarding the Train-the-Trainer course curriculum: o Develop a standard protocol for follow-up with participants post-SB course to facilitate application of EPPE methodology o Provide a Spanish version of the CD-ROM o Have Facilitation Question Guide as dynamic document for trainers (under constant revision) o Create a growing list of icebreakers o Provide an online library of project management resources

8. Appendices Appendix A: Preliminary plan for EPPE dissemination in the Caribbean

EFFECTIVE PROJECT PLANNING AND EVALUATION IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH PRELIMINARY DISSEMINATION PLAN – CARIBBEAN REGION UWI, Kingston, Jamaica, April 9th, 2010

Background As part of TDR' s efforts to promote good practices in biomedical research in diseases endemic countries, a course to strengthen skills in Effective project planning and evaluation in biomedical research (EPPE) was developed in 2002, completed later on by a train-thetrainer course to ensure the availability of local trainers.

The Planning for Success initiative was then launched to promote the dissemination of the course in countries and by countries themselves, through the establishment of Reference Training Centers (RTCs). The Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM) in Cali, Colombia was selected as an RTC in 2007, and has since integrated EPPE concepts and tools into its internal processes for research development, planning, implementation and evaluation.

Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 15 of 17

CIDEIM has led a total of nine EPPE skill-building courses, with the participation of 142 individuals. The methodology has been disseminated to faculty and staff in five Colombian institutions (Universidad del Valle, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Universidad of Rosario, Centro Dermatológico Federico Lleras Acosta, and Centro de Estudio de Infecciones Pediátricas), and five institutions in Central American and the Caribbean (Hospital Escuela and National Autonomous University of Honduras; Pontificia Catholic University of Ecuador; the Pedro Kouri Institute of Cuba, and the University of West Indies in Jamaica).

Fourteen CIDEIM staff and investigators from the Pedro Kouri Institute in Cuba (2), the Universidad Nacional Autónoma from Honduras (4), the Federico Lleras Dermatologic Center (2), the Universidad del Valle (1), and the University of West Indies (3) have been trained as EPPE trainers.

Preliminary Plan for EPPE Dissemination in the Caribbean The University of West Indies´(UWI) Clinical Epidemiology Unit hosted the four-day EPPE skill-building course November 3-6, 2009 at the Sickle Cell Unit of the Tropical Medicine Research Institute (TMRI). This course included a total of 12 participants, and was led by instructors Beatriz Ferro and Ligia Gómez from CIDEIM, and Linda Pereira from PAHO headquarters. Subsequently, an EPPE Train-the-Trainer (TTT) course was held April 6-9, 2010 with three UWI individuals who had participated in the November skill-building course and one individual from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma of Honduras. Both workshops were coordinated with the support of the PAHO Research Promotion and Development team, WHO/TDR, and the PAHO Country Office in Jamaica.

With an initial cadre of trainers in place, the UWI team, in coordination with the PAHO Jamaica Office, has developed the following preliminary plan to launch the dissemination of the EPPE methodology in the Caribbean.

Phase 1: Consolidate the appropriation of the EPPE methodology within the UWI TMRI The team of three UWI trainers (Shelly McFarlane, Marshall Tulloch-Reid, and Novie Younger), along with an experience trainers from the EPPE Latin American and Caribbean Network, will lead a second EPPE skill-building course in mid-July 2010 (specific dates to be determined) targeting researchers and research support staff from the Clinical Epidemiology Unit (CEU) of the TMRI. This course will serve to introduce the EPPE methodology to additional TMRI units, thereby further promoting the institutionalization of the EPPE concepts and tools. Steadily working towards the appropriation of the EPPE methodology within TMRI is a key launching point for the broader dissemination initiative as it will position the Institute as a leader in planning, managing and evaluating health research in the region.

In order to facilitate the selection of participants for this second skill-building course, the trainers will target researchers who have received Principal´s New Initiative Awards, and will therefore have project teams established and will be starting their projects early in the Fall semester.

Phase 2: Introduce the EPPE methodology to key academic and research institutions in Jamaica and the Caribbean Subsequently, the UWI trainers will coordinate and lead an EPPE skill-building course in late January 2011 (specific dates to be determined) with participants from the University of Technology (UTech), the Northern Caribbean University (NCU), and the Ministry of Health in Jamaica, and the Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRCH) in Trinidad and Tobago.

Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 16 of 17

The purpose of this course is to introduce the EPPE methodology and Caribbean dissemination initiative to strategic academic and research institutions which will be committed to appropriating the EPPE processes and tools internally and contributing to the continued propagation of these skills.

Phase 3: Strengthen the cadre of EPPE trainers for the Caribbean region Following the two EPPE skill-building courses described in Phases 1 and 2, the UWI trainers will hold a TTT course in April –May 2011 with the objective of strengthening the cadre of EPPE trainers in the Caribbean region. The participants in this TTT course will have already been trained in the EPPE methodology (through the courses previously mentioned), will have demonstrated high levels of receptivity to the EPPE processes and tools, and will have expressed interest in participating in the diffusion of the project management skills in the region.

Course report – Jamaica, April 10 Page 17 of 17