Academic medicine in Sudan: the challenges and solutions

Abstract

Academic medicine is vital for Sudan as it reflects progress in diseases prevention and management, and it enhances both medical practice and academic environment. The academic medicine can be defined as interrelationships among teaching, research, and clinical service. For this reason, all the medical colleges in Sudan recommended that all staff should be involved in research practice, teaching beside clinical services. Importantly, many universities in Sudan are offering a master degree in medical education, which prove to be very popular among doctors. During the pandemic of COVID-19, the appreciation and enthusiasm for research and medical teaching increased not only in Sudan but worldwide. In addition, research output is of a significant value in increasing the chance of success in accreditation of medical schools and the ability to attract national and international funds. Importantly, several studies showed that more than 90% of doctors in Africa and Sudan are interested in participation in research. In this article, we will try to highlight the challenges and solutions that influence the chance for men and women to participate in academic medicine in Sudan. Some of these factors are also shared worldwide and represent common challenges for doctors in developing and developed countries. We have also tried to reflect on barriers that related to the culture and customs of Sudan, which can also decrease chance of participation in academic medicine. We have also presented an attempt for how to overcome all these problems and suggested possible solutions.