A Supervisory Model for Emerging PhDs in Basic Medical Sciences on the African Continent: A Perspective

Aim/Purpose: This article- a perspective, is an attempt to critically review the African scenario with respect to doctoral supervision for Basic Medical Sciences and proffer potential solutions in the form of a supervisory model.

Background: There is a need to develop supervisory models for emerging PhDs in Basic Medical Sciences [BMS] in Africa. There has been continuous evolutions and rapid advancements as further compounded by continuous sophistication in research tools, methods, and technologies. These have resulted in newer fields emerging from the traditional fields. A major fallout of this is a shortage or rather unavailability of supervisors to train younger scientists in these new fields. The available supervisors were mostly trained in a more traditional fields or in the context of the relatively traditional paradigm of scholarship. Thus, Africa currently, suffers from a lack of supervisory capacity to train younger scientists in the emerging fields of Basic Medical Sciences.

Methodology: This article is a perspective that included a narrative review of literature, critical appraisal of the current prevalent scenario, and proposition of a supervisory model. Relevant literature sources were considered. Effort was made to provide a practical supervisory model that might guide African doctoral schools to train doctoral candidates in emerging fields, leveraging on available resources while making strategic adaptions. It is important to note that this should be done in an evidence-based manner, hence standard practices were reviewed and considered.

Contribution: There is currently a paucity of data and information on doctoral scholarship and supervision in Africa. There is a need to conduct research on relevant subjects to provide further insight into the prevalent scenarios, the root cause of the problems and postulate potential solutions to the problems. This article presents a model that might employ effective, innovative, and practical approaches to address the current situation. Otherwise, lack of adequate supervisory capacity could contribute perpetually to impeding adequate advancements in BMS in Africa, through scholarship, particularly in line with global trends and current realities. The article proposes a collaborative model for supervising emerging and novel PhDs.