Conjoint 553: Clinical Management of HIV

A Distance Learning course opportunity from the University of Washington and Treatment, Research and Expert Education (TREE).

Offered free of charge via distance learning technologies to groups of students in resource-limited settings. We offer distance learners a certificate of course completion.

KENYA participants: Our course in Kenya is only offered in Nairobi in a classroom setting. For information on the course in Kenya, please email Dr. Tony Etyang (tony@etyang.org) directly.

Course Description
This class will provide in-depth training in the diagnosis and clinical management of HIV. Through a web-based curriculum and weekly classroom seminars, students will participate in more than 70 cases involving HIV. The web-based curriculum focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases in resource-rich settings. The weekly case-based seminars, however, will address potential differences in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV in resource-poor versus resource-rich areas. Whenever possible, the seminars will feature a joint discussant who can provide a first-hand perspective on treating HIV in the developing world. Students are expected to be active participants in the weekly seminars.

Who is eligible to take the course?
The course is open to both students from the University of Washington (UW) and non-UW students from international resource-limited settings. Matriculated UW students must attend the course at the UW Seattle campus. International students can take the course utilizing distance learning technologies (in groups of 5 to 20 students). The course will be simulcast so students in countries in comparable time zones can take the course synchronously (ie: Latin America, Caribbean countries). Students from regions of the globe that cannot participate live can view the lectures and participate in the course asynchronously. (Students in Kenya can only participate by attending the scheduled class in Nairobi and must contact Dr. Etyang for more information).

The course is aimed at students with a basic proficiency in history, physical exam and differential diagnosis. Examples of potential students include medical students, medical residents, physician assistant students, advanced nursing students, pharmacy students, international AIDS and research training scholars, and infectious diseases fellows. However, we would welcome other interested clinicians who meet the basic pre-requisites.

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Requirements for Distance Learning sites/International Students
This course is intended to be taught to a group of students to enhance learning. We therefore require that international students participate in the course in a group of 5 to 20 students under the leadership of a local coordinator and clinical facilitator if possible. (We do allow a very limited number of individuals to take the course on their own with permission from the course Director). In order to determine if your setting is equipped to participate in the course, please read the following requirements:

• Students/Setting
  Your site must have a minimum of 5 students and a maximum of 20 students that meet the basic course prerequisites (i.e. medical doctor, nurse, pharmacist). Students must be available to meet together once a week for two hours for the duration of the 10 week course (beginning in January and ending in March 2010). You must have a setting where all students can meet and be able to view the lectures clearly – either from a sufficiently large computer screen or from a projection.


• Coordinator/Clinical Facilitator
  Your site must have someone willing to be the site coordinator. This is a volunteer position whose role is to communicate via email regularly with the United States-based Course Organizer, ensure your site is technically equipped to view the lectures each week and track student attendance and homeworks. The course coordinator may also be a student of the course.

  Your site is encouraged to also have a clinical facilitator who should be an experienced medical doctor who currently provides HIV/AIDS care. The role of the clinical facilitator is to stimulate discussion and provide a local resource for clinical questions that may arise.

• Computer requirements
  • PC Requirements:
  • Intel Pentium II 450MHz or faster processor or equivalent
  • 128MB of RAM
  • Mac OS requirements:
  • PowerPC G3 500MHz or faster or Intel Core Duo 1.83GHz or faster processor
  • 128MB of RAM
  • Additional requirements:
  • Minimum bandwidth 56Kbps
  • wired internet connection (i.e. not wireless/wi-fi)
  • monitor of ample size for group viewing or projection screen
  • Adobe Flash browser plugin (version 8 or later)
  • If several people are viewing, speakers are recommended.
  • A site certification with the University of Washington CONJ 553 course staff will be scheduled in December and must be completed prior to first class (this will be either a phone call or skype call).

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Course Time and Location
For local students, and for synchronous distance learners the course will be held on Tuesdays from January 5 to March 9, 2010 from 8am to 10am Pacific Standard Time. For local students the classes will be held at the Harborview campus in the Ninth and Jefferson building (NJB) room #1360 from 8:00am to10:00am. For our distance learners, participating asynchronously, your lectures will typically be viewed approximately one week after the live lecture at a day and time convenient for your group.

How to apply:
International Students: please email the course coordinator, Anneleen Severynen at odasev@u.washington.edu. In the email, please include your name, address, position and number of interested students from your site.

Local UW students: email Anneleen Severynen at odasev@u.washington.edu to request an add code.

Course Credit/Grades
To receive course credit for either passing grade or, for distance learners, certificate of course completion, students must:

• Attend at least 80% of the 10 weekly lectures
• Complete at least 90% homework
• Score at least 70% on quizzes overall (NOTE: this represents a cumulative score rather than a minimum score for each quiz)

There are also options for obtaining extra credit to make up for lower quiz scores.

Distance students should note that the certificate does not count as formal credit from the University of Washington.

For more information on the course, please contact Anneleen Severynen, course organizer at: odasev@u.washington.edu

Course Contacts

Anneleen Severynen, RN, MN
CONJ 553 Course Coordinator:
Program Manager Graduate Certificate in HIV & STIs
University of Washington, Box 359931
Harborview Medical Center
325 Ninth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Email: odasev@u.washington.edu
Voicemail: 206-234-4079

H. Nina Kim, MD MSc
CONJ 553 Course Director
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
University of Washington, Box 359930
Harborview Medical Center
325 Ninth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
email: hyangkim@u.washington.edu
Voicemail: 206-744-5130

Kenya Course Contact

Anthony Etyang, MBChB, MMed
UW Program Doctor in Kenya
UNITID Building
University of Nairobi – Medical School
P.O. Box 19676 -00200
Nairobi, Kenya
email: tony@etyang.org
phone: +254-722417507