Building sustainable research capacity in Ghana by focusing on junior researchers: The first steps of the Ghana-Michigan CHARTER

Background: In Ghana, few junior-level researchers have formal training in initiating, writing, and executing research studies. Objectives: As part of a broader initiative, we conducted a proposal development workshop among junior-level researchers in Ghana to: 1) Highlight key issues in conceptualizing and conducting research; 2) Foster local mentorship to ensure competitive research proposals; 3) Assist in revising a current proposal; and 4) Enhance relationships across institutions within Ghana and beyond. Methods: Participants were chosen by the 3 main health-sciences colleges in Ghana, the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health. The workshop included 2.5 days of didactic sessions and 2.5 days of small-group mentoring. An 11-item survey was conducted to evaluate workshop effectiveness (scale = 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Results: 31 Ghanaian researchers (24 men; 7 women) participated, with 15 senior mentors/presenters, 12 of whom were Ghanaian. Four participants were doctors (PhDs/ MBChBs), while others held masters' or bachelor's degrees. 27 evaluation forms were completed. All items had means >4.3; Participants rated their intellectual development and ability to use what they had learned from the workshop highest (mean = 4.85, SD=0.36, and mean = 5.0, SD = 0), respectively. Suggested improvements included lengthening the workshop and increasing time available for one-on-one mentoring. Conclusions: A one-week research workshop is a viable mechanism for reaching junior researchers in Ghana. Metrics to track subsequent research proposals, their success rates, and the continued guidance of local mentorship are needed to evaluate the ultimate success of this program.