Objectives and Priorities PEER/Liberia Objectives Strengthen medical training and build subspecialty medical capacity in Liberia; Improve the ability of Liberia to conduct clinical research; and, Increase access to specialty care for Ebola survivors and the broader population. Thematic Priorities: While PEER/Liberia recognizes there are significant gaps across the board in Liberian medical education; we are looking to focus resources in three thematic areas: Family Medicine Infectious Disease Ophthalmology These areas were chosen based on gaps identified in the Concept Note, consultation with PREVAIL and other stakeholders, and requirements to abide by the congressional mandate for use of these funds. In the Concept Note stage, LCPS identified their newly initiated Family Medicine Residency program as a clear gap for U.S. Partnership support. The Infectious Disease fellowship program was also identified as a priority and a gap for addressing Ebola survivors’ needs. WACP curricula for Infectious Disease & Tropical Medicine and Family Medicine can be found as supplements to this RFA. LCPS is reviewing these curricula to determine how to incorporate into their existing programs. Ophthalmology was not identified as a gap by LCPS or AMD, but it is a clear need for Ebola survivors. Resources for training in this area can also be leveraged through coordination with PREVAIL, which has a survivor eye clinic and two ophthalmologists on site at JFK Medical Center. Lastly, training in clinical research for medical students, residents, and faculty has been identified as a cross-cutting gap across all three thematic areas. Clinical Research capacity is also one of the explicit Objectives of the PEER/Liberia program. Approaches: In addition to the stated objectives and thematic areas, PEER/Liberia is also seeking U.S partners who embody a new approach to partnership and medical education and training. First, we are looking for partners who consider the “continuum of medical education”. For example, under the thematic area of Infectious Disease, we are looking for curricular and rotational activities at the pre-clinical and clinical stages that would prepare students for specialization in an Infectious Disease Residency or fellowship. Pre-clinical training is a clear gap in the Liberian medical education continuum and strongly encouraged as a partnership activity. We are also looking for “integration”; proposals that go beyond three silo-ed thematic programs to leverage and build synergies between the thematic areas as well as between Liberian and U.S. partners. “Integration” also covers the need to coordinate proposed activities with other relevant donor-funded efforts in the country. Lastly, all proposed U.S. activities should help strengthen AMD and LCPS to become accredited, sustainable, and strong local institutions. In this regard, we are looking for U.S. partnership proposals that go beyond traditional training and exchange models to truly build human and institutional capacity. At the institutional level this means an ability to compete and receive international research funding. At a ‘human’ level this means faculty and staff who have the resources to train the next generation of medical specialists beyond the lifetime of the PEER/Liberia funding. For additional reference, we encourage applicants to review: USAID Human and Institutional Capacity Handbook.