The Annals of African Surgery, in collaboration with the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), the Surgical Society of Ethiopia, the Association for Academic Surgery, and the Intuitive Foundation, organized a full-day Fundamentals in Surgical Research Course and Manuscript Writing Workshop on December 8, 2023, at Saro Maria Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The workshop's course schedule was divided into four sessions:
i. Surgical Research Fundamentals
ii. How to do it? The Nuts and Bolts
iii. Publishing and Presenting
iv. Tips for success and best practices
The sessions featured a diverse lineup of speakers, among them our Editor-in-Chief, Dr. James Kigera, and Assistant Editor, Dr. Chalwe Mumba. The lectures were didactic, involving hands-on tasks on worksheets, and interactive small group discussions.
To kick off the course, our Editor-in-Chief warmly welcomed attendees, establishing and setting the tone for the rest of the day.
In the first session, our Editor-in-Chief, served as one of the speakers, delivering a compelling talk on ‘Why do Surgical Research.' In the subsequent session, he gave a detailed presentation on the 'Basics of Biostats, Bias, and Confounding.' In the third session, Dr. Mumba, among the featured speakers, delivered two enlightening talks: 'How to get published and what reviewers look at' and 'How to be a Good Reviewer for a Journal.'
In the final session, our Editor-in-Chief was the last speaker, delivering insightful ‘Concluding Remarks and Small Group Instructions’ for the subsequent phase, which involved small table discussions.
We extend our sincere gratitude to all attendees for their invaluable contributions that made the workshop a resounding success. Additionally, heartfelt thanks are extended to our partners for their collaborative efforts, which played a crucial role in ensuring the workshop's success.
Looking ahead, we are pleased to announce our plans to organize a similar course in Harare, Zimbabwe, in December 2024.