Five years ago, Hanan Kerr, MD, associate professor in the UC College of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine, joined a nonprofit group bringing cardiology care to the central African county of Rwanda. That experience led her to return to the country twice more, and in 2019 to create the UC Rwanda Initiative to help bring advanced cardiovascular training to Rwandan physicians.
The country of 12 million has a medical school and teaching hospital in the capital city of Kigali, but has no advanced cardiovascular training available. Physicians desiring such training must travel out of the country.
Seven UC faculty involved in the UC Rwanda Initiative had planned rotating two-week visits to Rwanda in 2020 to provide in-person training and help establish a structured cardiology training program, but the pandemic prevented the team from traveling. Instead, they have been conducting virtual training through biweekly Zoom seminars.
Kerr is now planning a 10-month visit to Rwanda in 2022 to help develop a cardiovascular training program after receiving a Fulbright U.S. Scholar fellowship. The Fulbright Scholar Program will provide her travel and living costs during her stay in and around Kigali.
Portrait of Hanan Kerr, MD, by Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand. Other photo courtesy of Hanan Kerr, MD.
