In Yemen, the humanitarian crisis has not stopped the Yemen Field Epidemiology Training Program (Y-FETP) from moving forward and launching its fourth cohort.

In preparation for this launch, the program announced the call for applications and received 87 applications for its fourth cohort. Out of these, 31 met the selection criteria, and they were the eligible candidates to attend a screening course conducted from October 28 to November 8, 2017.

In this workshop, these candidates sat through sessions on basic epidemiology, basic statistics, and outbreak investigation. Moreover, they were introduced to the concepts of surveillance, including analysis, monitoring, and evaluation. After the course, participants took three tests: the screening course test, an English language assessment, and a basic computer skills test. The 20 candidates who passed these tests sat for an interview with the Y-FETP managers. The 12 candidates who got the highest overall score were officially accepted as the residents of the Y-FETP Fourth Cohort.

In December 2017, the fourth cohort residents officially commenced their residency. To prepare these residents for their rotations at the Central Programs within the Ministry of Public Health and Population, the Y-FETP has been conducting training workshops for these residents.

Supported by EMPHNET’s office in Yemen, the residents participated in a training workshop on Microsoft Office as well as Basic Internet Skills. Moreover, the residents will participate in another EMPHNET-supported two-month English language training designed to improve their writing and conversation skills.

The Y-FETP also organized a four-week Introductory Training for the new Fourth cohort during December 2017. During the first week of this training, the residents were introduced to descriptive and analytical epidemiology. They were also familiarized with different measures used in biostatics, and they were trained on how to perform surveillance systems’ analyses and outbreak investigations.

During the second week, the residents were introduced to steps for designing research starting from problem identification and literature review to writing objectives and selecting appropriate variables, study type, data collection technique and sampling methods. After each step, each resident applied what he/she had learned on a research problem he/she is interested to study. The residents then presented their work to their colleagues and facilitators and they received feedback.

During the training’s third week, the residents were introduced to the Epi Info software. They were trained on how to use the software to design questionnaires, and to enter and analyze data.

During the training’s last week, each resident presented the completed project that he/she had started during the second week and showed how Epi Info software was used in the project’s implementation. The residents were also introduced to the EndNote program and how to use it to manage bibliographies and references when writing their reports and articles. Furthermore, they were oriented about the Y-FETP objectives, rules, reporting requirements, and deliverables.

By the end of the training, a post-test conducted showed a remarkable improvement in the residents’ knowledge and skills on the basics of epidemiology, bio-statistics, surveillance and outbreaks investigation, as well as on research methodology.

His Excellency Minister of Public Health and Population Dr. Mohammed Salem Bin Hafeez, met with the residents of the new cohort and encouraged them to make the best use out of the training they have. For their part, the residents expressed their admiration at the great advantages they had from this training and stated how they will apply the new skills they had gained during their residency in various programs and during field work.