{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,28]],"date-time":"2026-09-28T04:56:32Z","timestamp":1790571392688,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,28]],"date-time":"2026-09-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790553600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Since 2013, Ethiopia has trained more than 100 family physicians, a resource whose potential depends on integration of family medicine (FM) within a primary health care (PHC)-oriented health system. The Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration in Family Medicine (TAAAC-FM) has supported Ethiopia's inaugural FM residency since its inception. In 2025, TAAAC-FM co-convened a Policy Dialogue in Addis Ababa, with 40 participants from 10 countries to advance FM within PHC transformation. Five priorities emerged: FM identity and recognition; training reform; sustainable career pathways; health system alignment; equity and community engagement. Three recommendations: establishing government policy defining FM's role; expanding training and career pathways; and coordinating advocacy. Ethiopia's experience offers potentially relevant regional lessons for advancing FM toward Universal Health Coverage.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1897582","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,28]],"date-time":"2026-09-28T04:29:46Z","timestamp":1790569786000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Building primary health care from the ground up: family medicine, academic partnership, and health system reform in Ethiopia"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Meseret","family":"Zerihun","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Addis Ababa University, School of Medicine","place":["Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"]},{"name":"Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Assegid","family":"Geleta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Addis Ababa University, School of Medicine","place":["Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"]},{"name":"Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Katherine Dominique","family":"Rouleau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]},{"name":"Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]},{"name":"Unity Health, St. Michael's Hospital","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Praseedha","family":"Janakiram","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]},{"name":"Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jamie","family":"Rodas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]},{"name":"Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marci","family":"Rose","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ellena","family":"Andoniou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Institute for Education Research","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]},{"name":"University Health Network (UHN)","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Assefa","family":"abegaz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Ethiopia National Center of the African Health Observatory Platform on Health Systems and Policies","place":["Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"]},{"name":"Addis Ababa University College of Health Sciences","place":["Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dawit","family":"Wondimagegn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration","place":["Toronto, ON, Canada"]},{"name":"The Ethiopia National Center of the African Health Observatory Platform on Health Systems and Policies","place":["Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"]},{"name":"Addis Ababa University College of Health Sciences","place":["Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0221989","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.","article-title":"The rapid scale up of medical education in Ethiopia: medical student experiences and the role of e-learning at Addis Ababa university","volume":"14","author":"Kelly","year":"2019","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"B2","first-page":"685","article-title":"The dawn of family medicine in Ethiopia","volume":"46","author":"Philpott","year":"2014","journal-title":"Fam Med"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.2147\/AMEP.S94522","article-title":"Key informants\u2019 perspectives on development of family medicine training programs in Ethiopia","volume":"7","author":"Gossa","year":"2016","journal-title":"Adv Med Educ Pract"},{"key":"B4","year":"2013"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"S40","DOI":"10.1097\/ACM.0000000000000326","article-title":"Ethiopian medical schools\u2019 rapid scale-up to support the government's goal of universal coverage","volume":"89","author":"Derbew","year":"2014","journal-title":"Acad Med"},{"key":"B6","year":"2010"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.4102\/phcfm.v2i1.151","article-title":"Statement of consensus on family medicine in Africa","volume":"2","author":"Mash","year":"2010","journal-title":"Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.4102\/phcfm.v5i1.507","article-title":"Scaling up family medicine and primary health care in Africa: statement of the primafamed network, Victoria falls, Zimbabwe","volume":"5","author":"De Maeseneer","year":"2013","journal-title":"Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med"},{"key":"B9","year":"2024"},{"key":"B10","year":"2005"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1","DOI":"10.4102\/phcfm.v16i1","article-title":"Pioneering family medicine: a collaborative global health education partnership in Ethiopia","volume":"16","author":"Woldeyes","year":"2024","journal-title":"Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med"},{"key":"B12","author":"Bradbury","year":""},{"key":"B13","volume-title":"The World Caf\u00e9: Shaping our Futures through Conversations that Matter","author":"Brown","year":"2005"},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1609406920916976","DOI":"10.1177\/1609406920916976","article-title":"The \u201cworld caf\u00e9\u201d as a participatory method for collecting qualitative data","volume":"19","author":"L\u00f6hr","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Qual Methods"},{"key":"B15","year":""},{"key":"B16","year":"2023"},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1186\/s12960-020-0455-4","volume":"18","author":"Flinkenfl\u00f6gel","year":"2020","journal-title":"Hum Resour Health"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e209","DOI":"10.3399\/bjgp13X664261","article-title":"Understanding of family medicine in Africa: a qualitative study of leaders\u2019 views","volume":"63","author":"Moosa","year":"2013","journal-title":"Br J Gen Pract"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"427","DOI":"10.1093\/fampra\/cmu014","article-title":"Family medicine training in sub-saharan Africa: south\u2013south cooperation in the primafamed project as strategy for development","volume":"31","author":"Flinkenfl\u00f6gel","year":"2014","journal-title":"Fam Pract"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.4102\/phcfm.v17i1.5033","article-title":"Investment in family medicine to improve health outcomes in sub-saharan Africa","volume":"17","author":"Ray","year":"2025","journal-title":"Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"485","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-021-06524-y","article-title":"Patient volume and quality of primary care in Ethiopia: findings from the routine health information system and the 2014 service provision assessment survey","volume":"21","author":"Arsenault","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Health Serv Res"},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0000547","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pgph.0000547","article-title":"The impact of residency training in family medicine on hospital admissions due to ambulatory-care sensitive conditions in rio de janeiro","volume":"3","author":"Jantsch","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLOS Glob Public Health"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1080\/14739879.2018.1532322","article-title":"What are the family medicine faculty development needs of partners in low- and middle-income countries?","volume":"30","author":"Redwood-Campbell","year":"2019","journal-title":"Educ Prim Care"},{"key":"B24","year":"2023"},{"key":"B25","first-page":"1","article-title":"Medical doctors\u2019 profile in Ethiopia: production, attrition and retention. In memory of 100-years Ethiopian modern medicine & the new Ethiopian millennium","volume":"46","author":"Berhan","year":"2008","journal-title":"Ethiop Med J"},{"key":"B26","author":"Mekonnen","year":"2020"},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100784","DOI":"10.1016\/j.puhip.2026.100784","article-title":"Examining the supply and need of health workforce in Ethiopia: a foundation for strategic investment in human resources for health","volume":"11","author":"Ali","year":"2026","journal-title":"Public Health Pract (Oxf)"},{"key":"B28","year":"2024"},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.20372\/ejhd.v37i3.5943","article-title":"The epidemiologic transition for three decades in the Butajira community, south-central Ethiopia: using Butajira HDSS database","volume":"37","author":"Yizengaw","year":"2023","journal-title":"Ethiop J Health Dev"},{"key":"B30","year":"2020"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"180","DOI":"10.1186\/s12939-021-01516-0","article-title":"The triple burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases and injuries on sex differences in life expectancy in Ethiopia","volume":"20","author":"Jung","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Equity Health"},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"285","DOI":"10.2147\/RMHP.S117943","article-title":"Physician distribution and attrition in the public health sector of Ethiopia","volume":"9","author":"Assefa","year":"2016","journal-title":"Risk Manag Healthc Policy"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-023-04133-3","article-title":"Rural job preferences of graduate class medical students in Ethiopia\u2014a discrete choice experiment (DCE)","volume":"23","author":"Engidaw","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Med Educ"},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"93","DOI":"10.1186\/s12960-015-0090-7","article-title":"The roles and training of primary care doctors: China, India, Brazil and South Africa","volume":"13","author":"Mash","year":"2015","journal-title":"Hum Resour Health"},{"key":"B35","year":"2018"},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"297","DOI":"10.3122\/jabfm.18.4.297","article-title":"Family medicine in Cuba: community-oriented primary care and complementary and alternative medicine","volume":"18","author":"Dresang","year":"2005","journal-title":"J Am Board Fam Pract"},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"457","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1468-0009.2005.00409.x","article-title":"Contribution of primary care to health systems and health","volume":"83","author":"Starfield","year":"2005","journal-title":"Milbank Q"},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.4102\/phcfm.v9i1.1603","article-title":"Twenty years of primafamed network in Africa: looking back at the future","volume":"9","author":"De Maeseneer","year":"2017","journal-title":"Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med"},{"key":"B39","volume-title":"National Specialty and Subspecialty roadmap, 2020 -2029","year":"2020"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Medicine"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1897582\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,28]],"date-time":"2026-09-28T04:29:49Z","timestamp":1790569789000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1897582\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,28]]},"references-count":39,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmed.2026.1897582"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmed.2026.1897582","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-858X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-858X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,28]]},"article-number":"1897582"}}