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Table 2 Examples of recommendations by senior community doctors to young trainees

From: Appropriate training and retention of community doctors in rural areas: a case study from Mali

• « Avoid favouritism. The chief of the village should queue like any other villager »

• « Never tell a patient that what he is doing is wrong, he wouldn't come back »

• « Respect customs, don't say they are harmful, rather explain that there are other methods »

• « Remain neutral, never take sides with one group of the community against another »

• « Recognise staff members' achievements, and punish misbehaviour: making regulations explicit protects staff members from social pressure from their relatives »

• « Don't monopolise the floor during meetings with the health centre committee; listen to them and give them the opportunity to explain their views »

• « Being a rural doctor requires courage »