As healthcare infrastructure and technological capacity grows exponentially in Rwanda, additional training and bi-directional exchange programs are critical to the success of Rwanda’s healthcare system.
History
Since 2011, Dartmouth has had medical school faculty on the ground in Rwanda to teach medical students and residents initially through the Human Resources for Health Program. In 2014-15, this expanded to include sub-specialists in Gastroenterology and Oncology when Drs. Steve Bensen and Mary Chamberlin took sabbaticals from Geisel to begin building capacity for sub-specialty training programs.
Senior DHMC Heme-Onc fellow Martha Lodgya, PGY6, leads a remote and in-person case presentation with University of Rwanda and Dartmouth Heme-Onc fellows from Rusoror, Rwanda, with international visiting faculty John Hill, Ilir Hoxha, and others.
By 2023, this took the form of the first Gastroenterology Fellowship program, followed closely by the launch of the first Medical Oncology Fellowship program in Rwanda in 2024. Due to our long-standing presence in Rwanda, Dr. Chamberlin was invited by Program Director Fidel Rubagumya to collaborate on the curriculum for the medical oncology fellowship curriculum and to create a roster of international faculty for an annual 2-week intensive in-person training program.
Present
Today, core faculty from the University of Kosovo, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and the University of Connecticut provide in-person lectures for oncology fellows and medical residents to advance their knowledge of gastroenterology, cancer prevention and screening, research methodology and hematology and oncology. The program also hosts several scholars per year from Rwanda to come to the US for protected research time conferences and observation electives at Dartmouth through the Geisel Global Oncology Scholars Program.
In 2023, the Rwanda Ministry of Health received a donation from the Buffet Foundation to further build their sub-specialty medical training infrastructure with support for 12-15 additional fellowship programs. The first Dartmouth Global Oncology Research Scholar for 2022-25, Dr. Fidel Rubagumya was named as first Medical Oncology Fellowship Program Director in Rwanda in 2024.
Future
As health care infrastructure and technological capacity grows exponentially in Rwanda, additional training and bi-directional exchange programs are critical to the success of Rwanda’s health care system. Now that we are training the newest generation of doctors and sub-specialists in Rwanda, we aim to take our programs to the next level with long-term training grants and capital campaigns to insure a successful future for the fellows and the thousands of patients they will be treating.
Program Leadership
Director | Dartmouth Cancer Center
Co-Director | UConn Dept of Hematology
Fidel Rubagumya, MD, MMed, MPH
University of Rwanda Fellowship Program Director
2026 International Faculty Roster
- Charlie Brackett, MD
Dept of Internal Medicine DHMC, Cancer Prevention and Screening lecturer - Philip Brooks, MD
Medical Oncology, Northern Light Health, Bar Harbor ME - Eric Henderson, MD
Dept of Orthopedic Surgery, Dartmouth Cancer Center - John Hill, MD
Dept of Hematology, Director of Allogeneic Transplant Program, Dartmouth Cancer Center - Ilir Hoxha, MD MPH
The Dartmouth Institute, Evidence Synthesis Group Prishtina Kosovo - Martha Lodyga, MD
Hematology-Oncology fellow at DHMC, PGY 6
University of Rwanda Fellows
- Phocas Havugimana ’26
- Fred Mugabo ’26
- Martin Hakorimana Ndahiro ’26
- Jean Paul Manikuze ’27
- Egide Tuyizere ’27
