In September of 2012, The Jackson Clinics Foundation launched an Orthopedic Manual Therapy Residency Program (OMT), in Kenya. This is a partnership between our Foundation and the Kenya Medical Training College, (KMTC), in Nairobi. Since inception, we have sent over 100 volunteer doctors of physical therapy to Kenya doing two-week rotations each teaching either didactic education in the classroom or providing clinical mentoring of our students. These volunteers have come from the Jackson Clinics staff, from Colleges and Universities throughout the USA, and from expert clinicians with teaching backgrounds. We are very appreciative of the dedication of our volunteers.

 

The Clinical Practice Guidelines from the Orthopaedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and International Classification of Functioning (ICF) language have been used as the cornerstones of the evidence-based approach to this education. The first cohort of physiotherapists graduated in March 2014. A second cohort was launched in September 2013 and they graduated in December 2015. Our third and fourth cohorts graduated in December 2016. There has been enormous interest in our program by graduate physical therapists in Kenya. A fifth cohort launched in March 2016 and the sixth started in October. Cohort 7 is graduating in December 2018 and cohort 8 started in  October 2018.

In 2017 a Neurorehabilitation program was launched at KMTC. This program is designed to teach the non-orthopedic courses in physical therapy, including neurology, pediatrics, cardiopulmonary, Integumentary, and Geriatrics.  

 

KMTC grants "higher" diplomas to graduates of our program. KMTC also provides housing for instructors. The program is designed to teach practicing physiotherapists advanced clinical skills two weeks per session for six sessions, each session held quarterly. The Jackson Clinics Foundation pays all transportation costs for our instructors and pays our Kenyan teaching assistants. 

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In 2014 we began to teach Kenyans how to teach these modules. Our goal of sustainability has been achieved in the orthopedic program in Kenya. In 2019 all orthopedic courses will be taught by Kenyan faculty.

 

In 2018 we signed a memorandum of understanding with AMREF International University, (AMIU), to begin a Bachelor of Science, (BSc.), degree program and a BSc upgrade program for all of the diploma holders in Kenya. These programs will significantly improve the quality of care throughout the country. Through this partnership with AMIU, we will be able to host specialty courses such as Women’s Health and Lymphedema care.​

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In 2022 we graduated our first 17 physiotherapists from this program and many more are enrolled. We have produced 18 courses for AMIU, 3 credits each course. This digital education allows students to continue working at their jobs while studying for their BSc upgrade diplomas. 

 

In 2018 we launched our first Neuro-Rehab Therapy, (NRT), program education 17 physiotherapists in Kenya. This is directed towards educating all of the physiotherapists who are working in Neurology, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Burns, Cardiopulmonary, etc.

 

Physical Therapy is a HUGE field and we are attempting to raise the level of practice across the board in Kenya. We will be upgrading this program to a digital format in 2023. 

 

In addition, in 2019 we sent teachers to teach a specialty course on the evaluation and treatment of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. This is an area of extreme need in Kenya. Herman-Wallace, a provider of continuing education in this field will be supplied the didactic materials for this three-level program. We are grateful to them for their contribution.
 

In 2023 we will launch a Residency level specialization in Orthopedic Physical Therapy at Kenya Medical Training College, (KMTC), which will be a significant upgrade to the present program because it will utilize digital education for the didactic content of each course. This enables KMTC to advertise throughout East and Central Africa to help spread updated education to other countries.