Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the goals and objectives of the series?
- Who can attend the sessions?
- Who are the participants?
- Who are the presenters?
- Can individuals log on and participate in a session from their own personal laptop or do I need to be a part of a “site”?
- What countries are the series participants from?
- What equipment do I need to participate in a session?
- What time are the live sessions?
- If I can’t participate in the live sessions, can I still participate in this series?
- How long are the sessions?
- The sessions are in a case based format, what does that mean?
- What should I do about technical problems that I encounter?
- How do I download an archived session?
- How can I give you my comments and feedback about the sessions?
- How will you know if this pilot is effective?
What are the goals and objectives of the series?
Goals:
- To strengthen HIV care delivered by health care workers in resource-limited settings.
- To establish an international network of HIV/AIDS clinicians and health care workers who can work together to address challenging issues through case discussions and lectures.
- To promote collaboration and mutual understanding between clinicians.
- To deliver up-to-date and evidence-based information on HIV/AIDS care and managment.
Objectives:
- Increase knowledge and skills of health care workers related to care, treatment, diagnosis, and comprehensive management of HIV/AIDS patients in resource-limited settings.
- Increase collaboration and communication across the I-TECH global team of clinicians with an emphasis on sharing of best practices and lessons learned from HIV/AIDS-related clinical issues.
- Rapidly disseminate cutting edge HIV/AIDS research and evidence-based case management approaches.
- Gain proficiency in use of the “interactive webcasting” distance learning technology in order to broad its application for new audiences and purposes.
Who can attend the sessions?
The target audience for this seminar series is clinicians (doctors, clinical officers, advanced nurses) treating HIV/AIDS in resource-limited countries served by I-TECH and UW-affiliated programs. I-TECH country offices and UW-affiliated programs may identify appropriate health care workers to attend the sessions.
Each site within the country must work with our IT specialist and program coordinator to conduct a site assessment (about 20 minutes over the internet) to determine if connection speed is adequate for participation in these sessions and at what level (i.e. chat, audio and/or video).
If you are interested in attending these sessions or in arranging for a site assessment, please contact DLinfo@u.washington.edu.
Who are the participants?
Health care workers involved in HIV/AIDS care and treatment in India, Africa, and the Caribbean. May include physicians, clinical officers, medical assistants, advanced nurses, pharmacists, and other cadres of health care workers.
Who are the presenters?
The series presenters include HIV/AIDS experts from around the world which include U.S.-based experts, many whom come from the University of Washington, School of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. HIV/AIDS experts from I-TECH country offices and University of Washington affiliated programs will present.
Can individuals log on and participate in a session from their own personal laptop or do I need to be a part of a “site”?
We have both “hub” sites, where participants meet at a central location to watch the presentation together usually displayed by a projector, as well as individuals that use computers from their home or office to view the sessions. If you interested in logging on to view the live session from your home or office computer please contact DLinfo@u.washington.edu.
What countries are the series participants from?
Currently participants are from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, India, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti, Guyana, Barbados, Suriname, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Lucia.
What equipment do I need to participate in a session?
- Computer
- Internet connection
- Web camera (a LogicTech camera costs between US dollars $60-$120) (optional)
- Microphone (optional)
If there are over 8 participants at your site you will need:
- speakers
- projector to display the presentation
What time are the live sessions?
Sessions are coordinated from the I-TECH Seattle office and currently take place on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 a.m. PST (Pacific Standard Time), which is 2:00 p.m. GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). Please see the individual sessions for your local time.
If you are unable to participate in the sessions live, you can download an archived (recorded) session on our Archive page.
If I can’t participate in the live sessions, can I still participate in this series?
Yes. All sessions will be archived on this website. You can download streaming archive sessions on our Archives page. You must have an internet connection to watch these. You may also download t he power point presentation and other resource material provided by the presenter found on Archives page.
You may also take part in the listserv discussions by posting comments, questions or resources. To add your name to the listserv please email DLinfo@u.washington.edu.
How long are the sessions?
Live sessions are 60 minutes in length. Some individual sites hold follow-up sessions with participants from their site either immediately after the session or at a later date. This session is often facilitated by an on-site clinical expert or a clinical team member at the country site. Local country offices determine the appropriateness of these sessions and will be responsible for the coordination.
The sessions are in a case based format, what does that mean?
The presentation relates to a specific topic and is guided by a clinical case drawn from a resource-limited setting. The presenter uses power point slides to present both a didactic lecture, and a case presentation which includes discussion on clinical diagnosis and management. Participants can pose or respond to questions via a chat box. Participants are also encouraged to submit their own patient cases with images, which the presenter may use during the session.
What should I do about technical problems that I encounter?
If technological problems occur during a session, in the chat box, use the drop down menu to send a private (meaning other sites will not be able to see the chat message) to tech support. If you are unable to access the virtual classroom, send an email to tech support. We want to hear your comments and gather your feedback if encounter any problems as we may be able to solve issues through individual troubleshooting following the session. Please email DLinfo@u.washington.edu with any problems that are not resolved during the session and for the email address of our tech support.