Making the first home-trained physiologists in Rwanda: an experiential narrative of lessons learned while designing and implementing the M.Sc. Physiology program
- 11Department of Physiology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Huye, Republic of Rwanda
- 22Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Republic of Rwanda
Abstract
Before 2023, Rwanda did not have a physiology training program. This study aimed to describe the approved curriculum of the program at the University of Rwanda (UR) and gather the perceptions of students and lecturers on the implementation of the first-ever physiology training in Rwanda. This experiential qualitative study adopted a narrative phenomenological approach to describe the retrospective events. Objective 1 was achieved by content analysis of the approved program documents, whereas objective 2 involved an informal survey as part of the University’s quality assurance policy. The questions and their responses were related to the students’ inspiration to study physiology at the M.Sc. level, robustness of the curriculum content and its associated academic stress, teaching effectiveness of the lecturers, assessment strategies, comparison of the level of difficulty with other programs in the University, ability of the graduates to compete with others trained elsewhere, preparation for an academic research career, strengths of the program that should be sustained, and weaknesses of the program that should be abolished or adjusted. The UR leaders are encouraged to appraise this feedback and implement changes that could further strengthen the quality of the program. Other universities in Africa may also learn some lessons toward establishing a physiology program or improving their existing program.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Until 2023, no institution in Rwanda had a program to train a physiologist at either undergraduate or postgraduate level. Here, we present the competency-based curriculum for the first-ever physiology training in Rwanda. We also present experiential narratives of the lessons learned during the implementation of the program.
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BibTeX
@article{alagbonsi2026making,
title = {{Making the first home-trained physiologists in Rwanda: an experiential narrative of lessons learned while designing and implementing the M.Sc. Physiology program}},
author = {Abdullateef Isiaka Alagbonsi and Florent Rutagarama and Diresibachew Haile Wondimu},
journal = {Advances in Physiology Education},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1152/advan.90082.2026},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.90082.2026},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Making the first home-trained physiologists in Rwanda: an experiential narrative of lessons learned while designing and implementing the M.Sc. Physiology program
AU - Abdullateef Isiaka Alagbonsi
AU - Florent Rutagarama
AU - Diresibachew Haile Wondimu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/12
JO - Advances in Physiology Education
DO - 10.1152/advan.90082.2026
UR - https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.90082.2026
AB - Before 2023, Rwanda did not have a physiology training program. This study aimed to describe the approved curriculum of the program at the University of Rwanda (UR) and gather the perceptions of students and lecturers on the implementation of the first-ever physiology training in Rwanda. This experiential qualitative study adopted a narrative phenomenological approach to describe the retrospective events. Objective 1 was achieved by content analysis of the approved program documents, whereas objective 2 involved an informal survey as part of the University’s quality assurance policy. The questions and their responses were related to the students’ inspiration to study physiology at the M.Sc. level, robustness of the curriculum content and its associated academic stress, teaching effectiveness of the lecturers, assessment strategies, comparison of the level of difficulty with other programs in the University, ability of the graduates to compete with others trained elsewhere, preparation for an academic research career, strengths of the program that should be sustained, and weaknesses of the program that should be abolished or adjusted. The UR leaders are encouraged to appraise this feedback and implement changes that could further strengthen the quality of the program. Other universities in Africa may also learn some lessons toward establishing a physiology program or improving their existing program.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Until 2023, no institution in Rwanda had a program to train a physiologist at either undergraduate or postgraduate level. Here, we present the competency-based curriculum for the first-ever physiology training in Rwanda. We also present experiential narratives of the lessons learned during the implementation of the program.
SN - 1522-1229
SN - 1043-4046
ER -