Family Medicine Program Cultivates Patient-Centered Doctors in Liberia

The medical landscape in rural Liberia has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years as doctors have shifted their approach to patient care. This shift is particularly evident at Partners In Health (PIH)-supported James Jenkins (J.J.) Dossen Memorial Hospital, where health care professionals increasingly focus on patient-centered care. This means treating the whole person, not just their disease, by providing holistic treatment and addressing the underlying factors contributing to illnesses.

Dr. Robert Sieh Jr., a medical resident at J.J. Dossen Memorial Hospital, says he has experienced a profound perspective change and gained a deeper understanding of the psychological and social forces—such as culture, housing, and income level—that may contribute to a person’s illness. These forces, known as “social determinants of health,” are a key part of social medicine, an approach that guides PIH’s work across 11 locations.

Sieh is enrolled in the Family Medicine Residency Program, a partnership between the Liberian College of Physicians and Surgeons and PIH Liberia. Originally launched in July 2017, the program was officially handed over to PIH Liberia earlier this year and relocated to Maryland County.

The primary goal of the residency is to equip physicians with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively address health care needs in Liberia. Based at J.J. Dossen Memorial Hospital, the program prepares doctors to work in remote, underserved regions, such as Maryland County—some 250 miles from Monrovia, the country’s capital. Through a hands-on approach, participants learn how to care for individuals of all ages, from infants to older adults.

“We are training the residents not only to provide care to the patients but to communicate and treat them with respect, empathy, and dignity,” says Dr. Paul Gueilledana, PIH Liberia’s family medicine residency lead.

Patients are noticing the compassionate care, too. “The doctors can talk to the people [politely],” says Tebanyene Huskin, a 45-year-old mother who received care at J.J. Dossen Memorial Hospital, speaking in Liberian Kreyol translated into English.

Continued success, empowerment

Since the program’s inception, 19 specialists have graduated and continued working in various regions across Liberia. The current cohort has five resident doctors: Flomo Cole, Mitchell Risk-Dragba, Robert Sieh Jr., Kangar O. Diggs, and Beyan Gweama. They rotate in core clinical areas such as pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), surgery, and internal medicine. All residents work in the inpatient ward at J.J. Dossen Memorial Hospital and serve as primary doctors during pediatric and OBGYN rotations at PIH-supported Pleebo Health Center, the largest primary health center in Maryland County.

The comprehensive, three-year course follows the curriculum of the West African College of Physicians, which is an association of medical specialists that promote professional training of physicians in West Africa to improve standards of practice and specialty training. In addition, PIH Liberia cultivates partnerships with international universities and accredited teaching hospitals to strengthen their workforce and develop the next generation of health care professionals.