Clinician-scientist (MD-PhD) postgraduate programs in Sudan: challenges, strategies, implementations and future directions?

The MD-PhD programme allows medical students to be trained in one programme and obtain two degrees, one in medicine and the other in research. In America, some countries in Europe and the far East, the MBBS is always referred to as MD. However, in UK, Australia, some countries in the Indian subcontinent and Africa, including Sudan, the MD is a postgraduate degree. The main goal is to produce physicians-scientist who can conduct clinical work with a researcher mindset. Other benefits are to provide research leaders, mentors and supervisors for the next generations of doctors. We searched Medline (PubMed) and Google Scholar for scientific publications published in English since 1950. We used the keywords MBBS-PhD OR MD-PhD programme AND academic medicine AND Sudan AND research OR barriers of research OR epidemiology. The Sudan Medical specialization board (SMSB) is the only postgraduate body in Sudan for training of medical doctors at postgraduate level and candidate will receive MDs in different clinical specialities after competing four years of training (research dissertation is expected to be completed in year four). In this review, we proposed that SMSB offer an MD-PhD programme at the postgraduate level with a duration of 6–7 years, with PhD in clinical epidemiology. Notably, the pandemic of COVID-19 brought immense recognition and light for the importance of epidemiology in managing the infectious disease and the management of the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases (diabetes and hypertension). In addition, clinical epidemiological research requires relatively less funding than molecular or cellular research. The databases for population studies will allow: how the illness develops, analysing data with understanding of the social and ethical conditions in Sudan, so researchers can produce solutions based on innovations with a practical ability to communicate these solutions to different teams. Therefore, a candidate like this needs to be trained in advanced understanding of statistics, logic, critical thinking, planning and strategizing skills and the ability to use broad clinical and research knowledge to understand the link between diseases and traditions and customs of different tribes in Sudan. Therefore, the MD-PhD programme in Sudan will lead to the establishment of new generations of clinical scientists who will be able to shed light on the behaviour of different diseases in Sudan including COVID-19 and how to apply appropriate strategies in management and prevention.