African countries need to revamp curriculums and methods used to teach medicine, to align with current global trends, influenced by technology, if they are to meet the ever-increasing demand for fast and efficient healthcare services by the citizens and communities.
It is a call that was made by many speakers and reiterated by Dr. Sabin Nzanzimana, Minister of Health, who was the guest of honour at the opening of the inaugural Advancing Medical Education in Africa Conference (MedEdAfrica), which opened on Monday, at Kigali Convention Centre (KCC).
The two-day conference is bringing together leading medical educators, leaders, students, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and partners, with a shared mission of revolutionizing medical education and shape the future of healthcare on the continent.
The landmark conference organised and hosted by the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), the Ministry of Health, and partners, is seen as a major starting point for the African continent to embark on a long journey of transforming its medical education and catalyze the formation of Africa’s first continental consortium of Medical Schools.
Reflecting on some of the gains Rwanda and some African countries have made in the recent past, Dr. Nsanzimana said that a lot has been done to improve medical education on the continent but the expectations and needs of the citizens remain high and unmet.
“As researchers, educators, and policymakers, we have worked hard to prioritize health and education. We’ve made progress—new medical schools, new departments, and fellowship programs have been established,”
“However, this is still recent, and expansion has not reached the scale we envisioned. Meanwhile, the demand for healthcare professionals continues to rise. More people are seeking medical care, asking for specialists and subspecialists,” Dr. Nsanzimana said.
Dr. Nsanzimana reiterated the need for medical curriculums to evolve to integrate new concepts such as AI.
The Minister of Health said that beyond building facilities and infrastructure, there is an urgent need for fellowships and specialized training to ensure that there are specialists available when needed, to attend to the needs of citizens.
To achieve that, Dr. Nsanzimana said that there is an urgent need to revamp curriculums and train medical students in line with what is needed today, informed by technology, rather than maintain the old way of doing it.
“The demand is growing, and we must respond by aligning medical education with healthcare needs. There is no debate—medical education is crucial. The burden of disease is increasing and evolving,”
“We have moved from primarily dealing with malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis to addressing chronic illnesses like cancer and organ failure. These shifts are recent—perhaps in the past decade—but they are significant,” Dr. Nsanzimana said.
He pointed out that this change is largely due to people living longer. Previously, individuals often did not reach an age where they would develop diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Now, with life expectancy increasing, Dr. Nsanzimana said that these conditions are becoming more prevalent and there is a need adapt the medical education and healthcare systems accordingly.
Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Clinical Practice
The Minister of Health said that one of the persistent challenges identified has been the disconnect between academia and clinical practice.
“In some universities, for years, we had separate “academic doctors” and “clinical doctors”—one set of professionals focusing solely on teaching and another on patient care. This division was counterproductive,”
“Recently, we reached an agreement to eliminate this separation. Instead, hospitals will serve as teaching sites, integrating academic work with clinical practice. Medical education should not take place in isolation from real-world healthcare settings,” Nsanzimana said.
He said that his is mainly so because at the end of the day, the two people are all serving the same communities.
“We must break down silos and work together—universities, hospitals, ministries, and policymakers. Our goals are shared, and our efforts must be aligned,” he said, emphasizing the need to rethink medical education.
More than 600 delegates are participating in the inaugural MedEdAfrica Conference.
Dr. Nsanzimana said that he recently asked medical students how they study and learn to his surprise, not much has changed over the years.
“The same classrooms, the same libraries, even the same trees in front of the faculty buildings—everything remains largely unchanged. Even teaching methods have stayed the same: PowerPoint slides, printed notes, and professors delivering lectures as they did decades ago,”
“But the world has changed, and so must our approach. Why do we still require students to spend an entire year sitting in lecture halls, listening to introductory courses in biochemistry, physics, and anatomy?” he pondered.
Dr. Nsanzimana said that with internet access and modern technology, students can learn foundational material remotely, accessing top experts worldwide without the need to travel.
Integrating AI
The Minister of Health said that Artificial intelligence (AI) could play a significant role in revolutionizing education because it can summarize, teach, and provide personalized learning experiences.
“We must embrace these technologies rather than resist them. If we delay, technology will advance without us, and we will find ourselves struggling to catch up,” he said.
“AI is already transforming fields like radiology and pathology. Should we continue training the same number of specialists in these fields, or should we adapt to the changing landscape?”
“Technology is not replacing healthcare professionals, but it is shifting how we work. We must integrate these advancements into medical education,” he said.
The conference is bringing together leaders in the medical education field from across the continent.
He emphasized the need to aligning education with community needs, stating that the education system must address real-world health challenges and evolve accordingly as the world changes.
Rethinking research
Dr. Nsanzimana also emphasized the need to transform academic research, which he said should not be conducted solely for academic publication but rather to help the people of where it was conducted.
“Research must solve real-world problems, inform policy, and improve lives. Too often, researchers collect data, publish findings, and move on—without any benefit to the communities that provided the data,”
“We need a new model of research—one that is equitable, community-driven, and solutions-oriented. Research should begin early in medical education, encouraging students to think critically and innovate,” he said.
He added that research should not be limited to senior academics, pointing out that some of the greatest scientific breakthroughs have come from young researchers asking bold questions.
“We must ensure that research conducted in Africa benefits Africa. It is unacceptable for foreign researchers to collect data here, publish findings internationally, and leave local communities with no tangible improvements. Research must lead to real change,” he said.
Dr. Nsanzimana called for more collaborative efforts between countries and universities to transform medical education, by embracing tech-driven innovations, to train more healthcare professionals.
He highlighted different initiatives Rwanda is undertaking, including the 4×4 Strategy, aiming to quadruple the number of healthcare workers in Rwanda and Africa.
“Most African countries fall below the minimum threshold for healthcare professionals per capita. Scaling up our training capacity is not an option—it is a necessity,” he said.
“By leveraging technology, strengthening partnerships, and acting with urgency, we can achieve this goal. We need leaders who are willing to push boundaries, challenge the status quo, and drive meaningful change,” the Health Minister said.
MedEdAfrica will be happening annually, to accelerate efforts to transform medical education.
With a dynamic lineup of keynote speakers, interactive panel discussions, and groundbreaking research presentations, MedEdAfrica 2025 is serving as a platform for innovation and collaboration.
Participants are exploring forward-thinking strategies, cutting-edge technologies, and transformative education models to equip Africa’s healthcare workforce for the future under the main theme “Innovation in Medical Education Practices”.
Integrating new technologies, AI, and simulation in medical education, examining how digital advancements can enhance training and patient care, are some of the areas being looked at.
Prof. Abebe Bekele, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic and Research Affairs and Dean of School of Medicine, who is the chair of the organizing committee said that the inaugural MedEdAfrica conference marks a new beginning to transform how medical education is delivered on the continent.
“Today is more than just a conference—it marks the beginning of what we hope will become an annual, vibrant academic and scientific forum,”
“This is a space where medical educators, students, academic leaders, researchers, policymakers, and partners from across Africa and beyond come together,”
“A space for shared learning, partnership formation, critical reflection, and, most importantly, for collectively shaping the future of medical education in Africa,” Dr. Bekele said, adding that similar gatherings have been happening on other continents such as Europe and America, but there wasn’t such a platform on the African continent.
“Africa deserves a dedicated platform of its own, shaped by its unique needs, its own voice, and its own aspirations. Our first objective is to establish this annual gathering as a home for ongoing dialogue and collaboration,”
Prof. Bekele, the co-chair of the conference, said it will catalyze and spur transformative conversation to take medical education in Africa to the next level.
“Our second objective is just as bold and necessary—the formal launch of the Consortium of Medical Schools in Africa (COMSA). This will be the continent’s first truly inclusive platform for medical schools, designed not only to unify but also to amplify the work we are all doing in education, research, social accountability, and health system strengthening,” he revealed.
With more than 600 participants from across the continent and the globe, Dr. Bekele said MedEdAfrica will serve as a crucial platform to advance medical education on the continent, ushering in real change.
“As President Paul Kagame said, Africa’s story has been written by others. We need to own our problems and solutions and write our own. That is why we are here today,” Dr. Bekele said.
The Advancing Medical Education in Africa (MedEdAfrica) Conference is a flagship annual event dedicated to shaping the future of medical education in Africa.
Bringing together leaders in academia, healthcare, and policy, the conference facilitates discussions on challenges, innovations, and strategic partnerships to transform healthcare training across the continent.