| The crises of the early I 960s left the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire)with almost no doctors. To fill this gap, WHO organized a "crash" course designed to turn 154 Congolese medical assistants into qualified doctors, within 3 years, by training them in European medical schools. At that time, the country's indigenous medical force consisted of 136 medical assistants and another 100 in training. The 60 medical assistants chosen for the first year's intake were placed, with their famil several French university towns. Social as well as academic problems had to be faced by the Congolese nationals in adapting to a European way of life. Training emphasized surgery and practical medicine as opposed to research. Pre-training and "fill-in" c were given to provide the students with the necessary prerequisites and background in science. Intensive vacationcourscs were given in subjects in which the students did poorly. The first year's intake of students graduated in 1963. Of the 154 students w eventually took the course, 150 qualified as doctors and all returned to the Congo to take up responsible medical positions. |