Specialist training programs for African physicians.

789 www.cmj.hr Many African countries are liberal in accepting medical degrees and specialist qualifications acquired abroad. This in part stems from the lack of training programs on the African continent that can supply the required or near the required numbers of doctors to serve the populations. As the majority of African states are English-speaking, academic and professional qualifications obtained in other English-speaking countries are more likely to be accepted than those from countries with some other official language. Francophone and Lusophone African countries are also likely to be accommodating to French and Portuguese medical qualifications, respectively. With regard to specialist physician qualifications, African physicians have the following possibilities; a) qualifications from their own countries; b) qualifications from other African countries, c) qualifications from a regional body such as the West African Colleges or the Confederation of Central, Eastern, and Southern African College of Surgeons (COSECA), and d) overseas qualifications. As a consequence of British colonial history and a deliberate policy to train physicians at a specialist level for the British Commonwealth nations, UK specialist qualifications are common overseas qualifications held by physicians on the African continent. There is, however, constant threat to the training opportunities for African physicians who seek UK qualifications (1,2).