About PERFECT
PERFECT (Promoting Excellence in Research and Faculty Enhanced Career Training)
is a research capacity building programme which is being implemented by the University of Zimbabwe's College of Health Sciences (UZCHS) with financial support from the Fogarty International Centre of the United States National Institutes of Health (US NIH).
The programme builds on the achievements of the MEPI Zimbabwe awards (NECTAR, CHRIS and IMHERZ) which were successfully implemented between 2010 and 2015. The overarching goal of PERFECT is to train a critical mass of 30 junior faculty members over a 5-year period to become competent, independent and collaborative researchers. This goal will be accomplished by extending the research capacity and mentorship programmes developed within the existing MEPI programmes and by continuing strong collaboration with US, UK and African partners which have been integral to the success of the MEPI programmes; through the following objectives: Objectives:- To enhance junior faculty capacity through mentored research training;
- To conduct didactic and practical research training;
- To enhance research administration and support;
- To improve on Information Communication Technology (ICT) and electronic resources;
- To conduct formative and summative evaluations.
Who qualifies to be a research fellow or trainee? The programme targets junior faculty of the UZCHS from all departments who are passionate about engaging in topical global health research areas such as HIV/AIDS, Cardiovascular Diseases, Women's Health, Mental Health, Stroke, Respiratory, Haematology and dental and craniofacial disorders. Junior faculty includes holders of Masters and PhD Degrees who have little or no university research and teaching experience. How are trainees selected? Candidates are selected through a competitive process which includes submission of applications, short listing and participation in interviews. In cases where some research areas are underrepresented applications may be solicited through Chairpersons of departments. Applications are done in February/March of every year. Application forms are collected from the UZCHS PERFECT offices or downloaded from the web portal (www.uzchsperfect.ac.zw/resources) What is the duration of the Programme? The training and mentorship program is 24- months long. The annual training calendar stretches from May to April. How are the trainees supported to engage in independent research? Trainees are supported through didactic sessions, mentoring and mentored research projects
Our Background
The University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences is one of 11 Medical Schools in sub-Saharan Africa who successfully competed for an award by the USA NIH/Fogarty International Center for advanced junior faculty research training. This is a follow-up to the MEPI (Medical Education Partnership Initiative) Program. At the UZCHS this program known as PERFECT (Promoting Excellence in Research and Faculty Enhanced Career Training) will run from 2015 to 2020. The program will support junior academic staff training in advanced research and mentorship and will empower them to pursue careers in research in the following Target Scientific Areas:
- HIV/AIDS
- Women's Health
- Mental Health
- Cardiovascular Diseases /Stroke
- Respiratory Diseases
- Haematology
- Dental/Craniofacial disorders
Objectives
The objectives of the program are to;- Enhance capacity of junior faculty to conduct impactful research in HIV/AIDS, Cardiovascular Diseases, Mental Health and Sexual & Reproductive Health through a rigorous program of mentored research training and career development
- Conduct didactic and practical research training to address both group-wide and individual capacity needs
- Enhance research administration and support of junior faculty through access to resources at the UZCHS Research Support Center (RSC)
- Capitalize and improve on Information Communication Technology (ICT) and eLibrary resources at the college
- Conduct formative and summative program evaluation
Training Program
The training programme will consist of:Core Research Skills Courses:
Research methodology, health information literacy, bioethics, research administration, grant writing, scientific writing for publication, presentation skillsAssociated Skills Training:
Leadership & management & governance, bioinformatics, biosafety, Intellectual property rights and technology transferPractical:
Mentorship, mentored research projects, Electives and attachmentsLeadership and Governance
The training program is under the oversight of the Dean of the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences. The strategic and administrative components of the program are the Steering Committee (SC), the Training Advisory Committee (TAC) and the administrative Unit. The Steering Committee is composed of the following:
Prof James Gita Hakim- Program DirectorScientific Area Leads:
- Prof Tsungai Chipato - HIV/AIDS
- Prof Jonathan Matenga - Cardiovascular Diseases
- Mr Alfred Chingono - Mental Health
- Dr Thulani Magwali & Prof Mike Mbizvo - Women's Health
- Prof Cakana & Dr Tendai Maboreke - Haematological disorders
- Prof Midion Chidzonga - Dental & Craniofacial disorders
- Newsletters
- Upcoming Events
- Publications
- Acute fatty liver of pregnancy: a case report.
- A case of twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence managed conservatively
- Incidence of maternal near miss in the public health sector of Harare, Zimbabwe: a prospective descriptive study
- Management and outcomes of antepartum haemorrhage in women delivering at Harare Maternity Hospital
- The Safety of Menstrual cups in women of low socio-economic status in Zimbabwe: a pilot study
- The Safety of Menstrual cups in women of low socio-economic status in Zimbabwe: a pilot study
- Abortion in Zimbabwe: A national study of the incidence of induced abortion, unintended pregnancy and post-abortion care in 2016
- Hepatic rupture from haematomas in patients with pre-eclampsia/eclampsia: a case series
- Genetic Susceptibility for Cervical Cancer in African Populations: What Are the Host Genetic Drivers?
- Prevalence of depression and anxiety among undergraduate university students in low and middle income countries: a systematic review protocol
- ZIMBABWE ONE HEALTH ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE NATIONAL ACTION PLAN
- The health care seeking behaviours of patients diagnosed with oral and maxillofacial tumours, Harare
- Odontogenic Carcinosarcoma: Case Report and Literature Review
- An analysis of hospital pharmacy practice in six sub-saharan african countries based on the international pharmaceutical federation basel statements
- Progress towards the Pharmaceutical workforce development goals (PWDGS) in Research, development and evaluation strategies for pharmaceutical education and the workforce: A global report
- THE PATTERN OF ORBITAL FRACTURES MANAGED AT TWO REFERRAL CENTERS IN NAIROBI, KENYA
- Genotyping Human Papillomavirus in Women Attending Cervical Cancer Screening Clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe
- Mutations in rpoB and katG genes of multidrug resistant mycobacterium tuberculosis undetectable using genotyping diagnostic methods
- Genotypic diversity of anogenital human papillomavirus in women attending cervical cancer screening in Harare, Zimbabwe
- Post-destructive eye surgery, associated depression at Sekuru Kaguvi Hospital Eye Unit, Zimbabwe
- A Research Strategy for the Development of Clinical Evidence for Traditional Herbal Medicine. In Exploring Traditional Medicine.
- Who benefits from Public Health financing in Zimbabwe? Towards Universal Health Coverage
- Barriers to healthcare access and coping mechanisms among sub-Saharan African migrants living in Bangkok, Thailand: a qualitative study
- Goblins left dirt in my birth canal’: Perceived Cultural Beliefs on the Causes and Meaning Making among Women with Cervical Cancer in Zimbabwe
- Breast cancer screening among women of child bearing age
- Evaluation of the child growth monitoring programme in a rural district in Zimbabwe
- Determinants of hygienic self-care practices related to skin conditions among primary school children in Harare City.
- Correlates of postnatal depression among women in Zimbabwean semi-urban and rural settings
- Funding Opportunities
PERFECT strives to provide UZCHS Researchers (faculty and students) up-to-date information on internal and external funding opportunities and fellowships:Fund Title Description Link TWAS Fellowships for Research and Advanced Training TWAS offers fellowships to young scientists in developing countries to enable them to spend three to 12 months at a research institution in a developing country other than their own. The purpose of these fellowships is to enhance the research capacity of promising scientists, especially those at the beginning of their research career, helping them to foster links for further collaboration. Open 2019 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program The American Embassy is pleased to announce the 2019 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program. This one-year, full-scholarship program is offered to mid-career professionals working at policy-level who have a record of leadership, a commitment to public service, and the initiative to take full advantage of a self-defined program of independent study at a leading American university. The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program brings accomplished professionals from developing countries to the United States at a midpoint in their careers for a one-year program of non-degree study and related professional activities. Successful applicants will be placed at participating universities in the United States for the August 2019 to June 2020 period. Open Fulbright Research Grants for African University faculty The U.S Embassy is now accepting applications for the Fulbright Research Grants for African University faculty to either conduct postdoctoral research or undertake a planned program of reading and research during the 2019/2020 academic year at a U.S. academic or research institution. Open Call for Mobility Grants under the BioFISA II Programme The SANBio Mobility Grant offers: 1. Support to candidates on fellowships is for a duration of up to 3 months and may include travel in the region or internationally. 2. Experts in technical or business fields may be invited by host institutions for up to 4 weeks for specific technical assistance to be provided to organisations in SANBio member states. 3. Knowledge exchange/peer to peer visits for up to 2 weeks duration includes regional and international meetings as well as seminars or training courses with a specific focus in the areas of health and nutrition and on strengthening the visibility of SANBio network partners, excluding conferences. 4. Business development mentorship programmes to support bio-science start-ups for up to two weeks with the aim to support commercialisation of research outputs. Open - Publications