It is difficult to believe that the Brown Kenya Program has now been in existence over 10 years. Preparing to launch our website has been a wonderful chance to look back to our beginnings, trace our path of growth, and reassess where we are today. The original hope to create a rich learning experience for medical trainees embedded in the heart of medicine- providing service- has grown to a comprehensive care program with training opportunities far beyond the original concentration on the field of internal medicine, now extending to all medical specialties including public health as well as both the basic and social sciences.

The accomplishments are many.

In care, AMPATH is making the transition-from the Academic Model For the Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS to the Academic Model for the Pathway to Health. Over 100,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS are now enrolled. Over 65,000 symptomatic persons have been screened for contagious Tuberculosis. Diabetes care is being revolutionized with the use of cell phone messages and simple monitoring intervention. Diabetes, HIV, and TB are no longer diagnoses of death but diseases for which access and provision of care is available. These are only examples- there are so many more transitions to complete.

The exchange program is vibrant. Just today (the launch day of the website), three Kenyan Internal Medicine residents are completing their sixth month of subspecialty rotations at Brown. The AMPATH Chief of oncology is on site for 6 months to train in advanced research techniques. Two Moi/AMPATH biostaticians are on site at Brown- one completing her PHD this semester. Four Brown residents and one student just returned from their rotations - their statements about the program - though typical have never become less thrilling - "This program was the highpoint of my training. It has changed the way I look at the field of medicine."

The research program is just as robust. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute has just awarded a grant to develop a Center of Excellence in Cardiopulmonary Diseases to Moi University School of Medicine. Brown Pulmonary physicians are leading the pulmonary portion of the grant. Recent studies by Drs. Kantor and Diero are changing the way in which HIV drug monitoring is performed - not just at AMPATH but for the developing world. The TB Case finding programs implemented at Moi are being refined, studied and replicated by the National TB Program of Kenya. These are but three examples.

Every patient treated has a story.

Every trainee or faculty rotator - Kenyan or US- has an experience they want to share.

Every research question grew out of the problems seen - and has an impact.

We plan for this website to tell those stories. Each month will highlight a program, a participant, a research project, a hope for the future.

Make the journey with us. Share our story.

Welcome to the Brown Kenya Program.

E. Jane Carter, MD
Program Director