Atlas aims to provide capacity building and support of partners in Uganda through fundraising, education, supply donations, and human resources
Donations destined for MRRH, Mbale, 2013 (photo credit Lisa Umphrey)
DONATIONS of Supplies and Equipment
Each year we check in with our partners for their most urgently needed medical supplies and equipment. As much as possible, we try to respect local supply chains and sustainable source items needed at our partner healthcare sites. But for those things expensive or difficult to find in Uganda, we work hard to find items and send them with our volunteers. Thanks to the hard work of our friends in the US, we can usually track down items within our networks or raise funds to purchase outliers.
A HUGE thanks to all of our volunteers who lug the supplies with them to Uganda!
Dr. Katy Miller teaching Busitema University medical students about adolescent care, Mbale, 2020 (photo credit Katy Miller)
Medical trainee Education
ATLAS volunteers are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with medical students and health science trainees through Busitema University. Per their training level and experience, volunteers may give formal lectures to students, conduct clinical teaching at the hospital, or design curricula and training programs in partnership with Busitema faculty.
Dr. Schmidt, Univ of WI, teaching POCUS to colleagues, Mbale, 2019 (photo credit Jessica Schmidt)
CLinical teaching & Advanced Training
ATLAS volunteers may be involved in both formal and bedside clinical teaching at one of our various partner sites. Teaching rounds occur most days and can include senior physicians, residents, students, midlevel practitioners and support staff. These informal ward teaching sessions are rich opportunities for knowledge sharing in the context of specific patients.
More advanced volunteers may also be involved in teaching formal courses (such as neonatal resuscitation, ultrasound skills, or adolescent health practices, for example) to colleagues and trainees.
And ATLAS is proud to sponsor particular initiatives, such as a new PhD program in infectious disease launched in 2020.
Continuing Medical Education
Continuing medical education (CME) is an important aspect of every health professional’s life. ATLAS volunteers can fill a much needed role by preparing and delivering CME sessions to colleagues and trainees at our partner clinical sites. ATLAS works with our partners to identify relevant educational topics and coordinates with volunteers prior to their rotation to prepare for their session, and we help track topics to ensure they occur on a rotating basis.
Dr. Amy and Dr. Elizabeth teaching an internal medicine faculty CME session, Mbale, 2013 (photo credit Lisa Umphrey)
Medical volunteers from the UK give health education talk to school next to rural clinic (photo credit Lisa Umphrey, 2013)
Community Education
We believe that education, perhaps more than any other intervention, is the key to sustainable development in under-resourced settings. All volunteers will prepare and give educational talks to community members, waiting patients, or students under the guidance of their onsite supervisors. Click here for more details about increasing health literacy in the communities we serve.
Dr. Gabriel and Dr. Lisa during a pediatric examination training course, Mbale, 2013 (photo credit Mary Kaminsky) (photo credit Mary Kaminsky Photography)
Connect Uganda With the World
The holy grail in all development work is to create a true, bilateral and equal partnership. ATLAS strives to link colleagues and organizations in Uganda with institutions abroad that can help them achieve their goals. To date, ATLAS is proud to have facilitated sustainable links between Ugandan and American universities, leading to the appointments of Ugandan physicians to academic positions abroad, and we continue to find ways to give our partners access to funding, grants, educational materials, and professional support. We hope to eventually create bidirectional medical rotations, where Ugandan trainees equally have the opportunity to visit host sites abroad, much as they welcomes international visitors in Mbale.
Dr. Lisa presents a poster, 2013, Melbourne, Australia (photo credit Lisa Umphrey)
Research
Partaking in research initiatives is crucial to stay connected and share information. ATLAS is incredibly fortunate to partner with the Mbale Clinical Research Institute, a regional leader for high quality, important research relevant on a global scale.
Since 2013, ATLAS has worked with our partners to address pressing health needs in the region and to create innovative solutions to healthcare challenges in low-resource settings. Whenever possible, we share our projects and findings at academic meetings and publications.
Volunteers in our medical rotation program have the opportunity to participate in ongoing projects. Contact us here for more details if you are interested in research initiatives with ATLAS.
citations for atlas projects & practices
Mcnamara M, Umphrey L, Miller K. The feasibility and acceptability of a new curriculum in adolescent health designed for low and middle income countries. AAP National Conference; October 2020; San Deigo, USA. (Poster presentation)
Miller K, Becker A, Kissoro A, Umphrey L, Olupot-Olupot P. Improving paediatric triage through physician training in danger signs: a quality improvement initiative in Eastern Uganda. Global Paediatric Health. Accepted for publication October 2019.
Miller KK, Brown SJ, Pfeffer B, Olupot-Olupot P, Kitaka S. Educational Curricula and Programs in Adolescent Medicine for Health Workers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review. Journal of Graduate Medical Education. August 2019, Vol. 11, No. 4s, pp. 64-72.
Miller KK, Saftner M, Abeso J, McMorris B, Olupot-Olupot P. Provision of Adolescent Health Care in Resource-Limited Settings: Perceptions and Training Needs of Health Care Workers. Poster presentation at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition, Section On Child and International Health, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2019
Gitanjli A, Esmaili E, Pitt M, Green A, Umphrey L, Butteris S, St Clair N, Batra M and O’Callahan C. Pediatricians and Global Health: Opportunities and Considerations for Meaningful Engagement. Pediatrics. 2018;142(2): e20172964.
Miller K, Becker A, Abeso A, Kasoro A, Umphrey L and Olupot-Olupot P. Refresher Training of Physicians Improves Triage and Patient Outcomes in Resource Limited Settings: A Pilot Study on Training as Intervention. Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting; May 2018, Toronto, Canada. (Poster presentation)
Miller KK, Houser L, St Clair N, Webber S, Butteris S. Immersive Stateside Global Health Education in Pediatric Residency Training: An 8-year Reflection on a Multi-Disciplinary Fundamentals in Global Health Course. Poster presentation at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition, Section On Child and International Health, Orlando, Florida, 2018.
Umphrey L, Kaminsky M, Adefisayo A, Downs T, Eniasivam A, Erakat A, Heinen J, Kansiime V, Kingman M, Mohla R, Nugent M, Simpson P, St Clair N, Vitale D. Back to Basics 2: A Collaboration to Strengthen Pediatric Exam Skills. Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting; May, 2016; Baltimore, MD. (Poster presentation, abstract Pub. 3808.91)
Umphrey L, Kaminsky M, Coogle L, Adefisayo A, Downs T, Eniasivam A, Erakat A, Heinen J, Kansiime V, Kingman M, Mohla R, Nugent M, Simpson P, St Clair N, Vitale D. Back to Basics 2: A Collaboration to Strengthen Pediatric Exam Skills. Medical College of Wisconsin's "Community Engagement: Bridging the Gap between Academics and the Community" Conference; April, 2016; Milwaukee, WI. (Poster presentation)
Kaminsky M, Umphrey L, Manzi G, DaSilva DF, Thomas V, Simpson P & Coogle L. Back to the Basics: A Collaboration to Strengthen Physical Exam Skills in Uganda. Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, 2014, Vancouver, Canada. (Poster presentation)
Umphrey L, DaSilva DF & Fisher L. Addressing Gaps in Healthcare Systems in Resource-Limited Settings: A Novel Healthcare Provision Model in Rural Eastern Uganda. International Pediatric Association Congress 2013, Melbourne Australia. (Poster presentation)
Fisher L, DaSilva DF & Umphrey L. A Survey of Rural Ugandan Health Facilities: Patient Surveys to Address Healthcare Provision Gaps in Rural Eastern Uganda. International Pediatric Association Congress 2013, Melbourne Australia. (Poster presentation)
DaSilva DF, Fisher L & Umphrey L. A Survey of Rural Ugandan Health Facilities: Health Worker and Patient Surveys to Identify Discrepancies and Gaps in Healthcare Provision in Rural Eastern Uganda. International Pediatric Association Congress 2013, Melbourne Australia. (Poster presentation)
Umphrey, L. What Launched a Career: My Journey in International Pediatrics. AAP SOICH Quarterly Newsletter, August 2012.
Umphrey, L. The Making of a Novel Healthcare System in Rural Uganda. AAP SOICH Quarterly Newsletter, August 2012.
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