Obstetrics & Gynecology Botswana Global Health Program

Our OB/GYN Training Program

The Botswana Harvard Partnership was established in 1996 between the Government of Botswana and the Harvard School of Public Health in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Botswana. The partnership facilitates clinical capacity building programs to strengthen the Botswana health system.

To further this aim, the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) Department of OB/GYN created a supervised clinical elective for U.S.-based residents in Botswana that is supported by an on-site faculty member to provide oversight and mentorship to rotating residents. This continuous presence on-site allows for dynamic support of clinical training needs in Botswana.

Department Activities

The overarching mission of the program is strengthening global health training of U.S. residents while at the same time, supporting clinical training in Botswana with the ultimate goal of improving women's health. We work to achieve this goal through improving clinical training, care delivery and quality improvement. Specific projects have included:

• Support of the initiation of the first ever OB/GYN residency training program in Botswana
• Development of a structured OB/GYN training curriculum for Botswana medical interns
• Clinical capacitation of general practitioners in Botswana
• Clinical and didactic teaching of medical students from the University of Botswana
• Expansion of access to gynecologic oncology surgical services
• Improvement in cervical cancer screening services
• Technical skills training including ultrasound and laparoscopy
• Research, safety and quality initiatives
• Simulation-based training
• Bidirectional exchange and collaboration for faculty and residents

OBGYN at Princess Marina Hospital

• The hospital is staffed by midwives, general physicians, specialists and a number of sub-specialists, as well as residents in pediatrics, anesthesia and OB/GYN
• The hospital performs approximately 6,000 obstetric deliveries per year
• Open gynecologic and obstetric surgeries are performed daily
• Outpatient clinical care includes high-risk obstetric and complex gynecologic consults including a multidisciplinary gynecologic oncology clinic