Clinical Education

Course Overview

This course aims to develop your skills as a health professional involved with teaching and supervising students, or if you are wishing to progress your career. The General Medical Council has recognised that educators should have the necessary knowledge and skills needed for this role and that there is a need for greater professionalism and accountability as clinical teachers.

Through our various pathways (distance learning or face-to-face) for PGCert, PgDip and Master's, you will gain the necessary skills and development, as determined to be needed (by the GMC), to successfully teach in a variety of medical settings.

Bruce Summers FRCS, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Senior Lecturer at the University of Keele Medical School

Bruce Summers, MA Medical Education postgraduate

"The courses were excellent, practical, and enjoyable, and fitted easily into my full time medical occupation." - read more about Bruce Summers, MA Medical Education postgraduate

Bruce Olojede

"This course has given me invaluable insight into many aspects involved with medical education" - read more about Bruce Olojede

About the course

Overview

PG Certificate:

The course will cover the fundamentals of clinical education, introduce you to the latest theoretical base and expose you to the challenges of teaching and assessing students in the clinical environment. The overall aim of the course is to improve the quality and effectiveness of clinical teaching through:

Understanding a learner-centred approach
Developing practical teaching and assessment skills
Promoting understanding of educational theory
Promoting reflective practice in education and clinical practice
Promoting evidence based education

PG Diploma:

The course will cover more advanced aspects of clinical education, building upon the foundations of the Certificate Course. It will introduce you to the latest theoretical base and expose you to the challenges of teaching students in the clinical environment. The overall aim of the course is to improve the quality and effectiveness of clinical teaching. Participants will develop expertise and specialist knowledge in their chosen areas of clinical education.

Master's:

Achieving the MSc in Clinical Education will develop your knowledge and necessary skills to ensure professionalism is reached and maintained for clinical leaders. It will provide the individual with advanced expertise and specialist knowledge in clinical education and enable you to display critical analysis and independent thinking, to progress you in clinical education teaching.

The total academic credit rating for the MSc Clinical Education degree is 180 credits, of which the taught modules comprise 120 credits and the dissertation 60 credits.

On completion of Dissertation, the student will be able to:

Communicate a framework of reference (such as a literature review), to show the relevance of the proposed research.
Display evidence of critical analysis, independence of thought and an understanding of advanced concepts and methods related to research.
Demonstrate the appropriateness and intellectual coherence of the research design/plan of argument for linking questions to methods and conclusions.
Select appropriate information gathering methods and implement these effectively and with a high level of judgement.
Show evidence of advanced methods of analysis and of a high level of skill in their execution.
Where appropriate, evidence of critical evaluation and reassessment of results and techniques during the research period.
Show evidence of intellectual rigour in the interpretation of the results of the analysis.
Analyse ethical issues (where appropriate).
Produce a report of appropriate style, organization and structure.
Display a high level of written English and expository methods.

Teaching facilities

The course is hosted by the Keele University School of Medicine, which is one of the top ranked universities in the UK. Students have access to university libraries (online facilities for distance learning) facilities and enjoy the support of the wider university. Teaching Faculty include specialist medical educators along with educationally qualified clinicians working in both Primary and Secondary care who ensure the course is relevant to the clinical environment.

Course structure

How the course is taught

MSc, PG Certificate and PG Diploma:

By Attendance (Face-to-Face): The course is taught though subject–centred presentations, seminars and small group activities (maximum 18 students for face-to-face). Learning and teaching methods include problem-based learning, tutorials, peer and self-assessment, evaluation, feedback, micro-teaching and reflection. Following the teaching blocks, students are supported with online materials. Students are required to conduct extensive independent study.

Distance Learning pathway: The online delivery of this course is via a bespoke state of the art web platform, designed specifically for this course. The course is taught though subject–centred presentations and seminars and virtual small group activities. Learning and teaching methods include webinars (both live and recorded), blogs, interactive discussion forums, narrated short presentations, animated videos and video presentations. Students are required to conduct extensive independent study.

MSc:

The emphasis is on self-directed learning supported by individual educational supervisors. It is essential that Clinical Education students identify a local topic-specific supervisor of their project. The topic-specific supervisor should be a senior member of staff within their local NHS Trust or Keele University or equivalent academic institution. Where students are supervised by clinicians who do not hold an academic or teaching post within the university, then a member of academic staff from Clinical Education course must also oversee the project. The Course Director can assist students in identifying a supervisor.

Assessment

Certificate: Modules will be assessed by a variety of assessment methods including written assignments, reflective diaries, reflective audio and video diaries, presentations and case studies.

PG Diploma: Modules will be assessed by a variety of assessment methods including written assignments, reflective diaries, presentations and case studies and production of educational media

MSc: The length of the dissertation should be 15,000 to 18,000 words. The specific word allocation for assignment is the absolute maxima. For submissions over the word limit the maximum mark attainable will be 50%. Referencing within the text is included in the word count; however, the reference list does not count within the word limit. All coursework must be submitted in the required format. Students are advised to keep a copy of their work.

The dissertation is marked by two internal examiners, one of whom will have an interest in the specific area of research. The examiners agree a mark for the thesis and this is then ratified by the external examiner.

Progression and Affliation:

The Postgraduate Certificate (by attendance (face-to-face) pathway only) in Clinical Education is accredited by Advance HE (formally the Higher Education Academy {HEA}). Successful completion of the course entitles participants to be recognised as Fellows of the HEA and use the post-nominal FHEA.

Students who successfully complete the 60 credit Certificate course are able to opt to proceed to a Diploma in Clinical Education, which is a further 60 credits that can then lead to a MSc in Clinical Education (180 credits in total).

Taught Modules

Certificate: comprises four core 15 credit modules, amounting to 60 credits total to gain the Certificate.

Certificate – Distance Learning: comprises of one core 30 credit module plus two selective 15 credit modules, amounting to 60 credits total to gain the Certificate.

PG Diploma: there are eight modules for you to choose, four optional 15 credit modules, with a research module being one of them. There are four modules that are delivered via distance learning only. The four modules will amount to 60 credits total (this is based upon the individual already attaining a Certificate). To progress to master's level, students must include a research (only) module.

Students who successfully complete the 60 credit Certificate course are able to opt to proceed to a Diploma in Clinical Education, which is a further 60 credits, in total amounting to 120 credits. A student attaining the Diploma can then progress to a MSc in Clinical Education (180 credits in total).

MSc: There are no formal taught modules within the dissertation.

Certificate: Face-2-Face

Introduction to Medical education (15 credits)

This module will cover the core knowledge and professional values required when developing scholarship in teaching. The module aims to equip clinical teachers with critical rationales for educational practice drawn from reflection. It is grounded in an academic view of teaching requiring both practical competencies and a theoretically informed approach. The main foci of reflections are: Knowledge about how students learn, Competence in a range of pedagogic skills and techniques, A reflexive and experimental approach, Exploration of personal and professional values, Theoretical application in the scholarship of learning and teaching

Participants are encouraged to apply general themes and theory to their specific teaching contexts and to learn from each other. A formative assessment will provide useful feedback on academic writing skills and Harvard referencing standards required for the programme.

Teaching Methods and Theories of Learning (15 credits)

This module will cover the core knowledge and professional values required when developing scholarship in teaching. The aim is to provide the student with an overview of the theories of learning in education and insight into how these theories can be used to inform their choice of teaching methods.

Assessment in Medical education (15 credits)

The module aims to define various assessment tools and to align these assessment items with curricular objectives. Students will also compare different approaches to feedback and identify the role of feedback in meeting the objectives of an assessment

Educational Supervision and Feedback (15 credits)

This module aims to enhance the learners’ knowledge and skills on educational supervision in a range of clinical and educational contexts and also to explore the learners’ feedback skills by discovering different feedback models from literature and using different methods to support those skills

Certificate: Distance Learning path

Effective Clinical Teaching (30 credits)

This module will cover the core knowledge and professional values required when developing a scholarship in teaching. Students will develop a mixed media portfolio including video of teaching activities that will be assessed by peers and faculty as well as by self-assessment. Reflective commentaries will help to develop action plans and case studies will be evaluated. Formative and summative feedback will be given and different models of teaching, learning and assessment explored. You will take part in on-line activities to apply the theories you have learned to practical situations.

Optional Modules

Students select two from the following three options

Educational Leadership (15 credits)

The module aim is support the student in becoming an effective and innovative educational leader within medical education. It will develop reflective educational leaders who are aware of their own strengths, limitations/challenges and who are able to proactively develop medical education. Developing educational leaders that encourage the creation of a pedagogical culture where educational issues and learning is central.

Effective Clinical Supervision (15 credits)

The module aims to enhance the learners’ knowledge and skills on educational supervision in a range of clinical and educational contexts and also to explore the learners’ feedback skills by discovering different feedback models from literature and using different methods to support those skills

The Reflective Clinical Teacher (15 credits)

This module aims to support learners in their development as clinical teachers through reflection. Learners will explore the foundations and theoretical underpinnings of reflection before utilising various reflective frameworks to structure their reflective writing. Learners will use peer feedback, student feedback, and theory to inform their reflective accounts.

PG Diploma - with optional taught and distance learning modules:

Within the PGDip there are 8 modules of which you elect to study 4, but you must include a research module. Please note that 4 modules are delivered via distance learning only and are detailed accordingly below:

Introduction to Research in Medical Education (15 credits)

This module aims to introduce participants to some of the key principles underpinning research in medical education. By the end of the module students will be able to:

Frame research questions which can be addressed in the context of medical education
Identify and evaluate published evidence within a given area of medical education practice or research.
Apply appropriate research methodologies to address given questions in the context of educational practice and research
Critically evaluate studies designed to address given questions in the context of medical education
Identify, evaluate and manage ethical issues in the context of medical education research
Apply the principles of sound research data (quantitative or qualitative) management to the implementation of a research project
Communicate effectively, in writing and by oral presentation, with other professionals in the context of medical education research and evaluation.

Researching Medical Education Practice (15 credits) - Distance Learning

The emphasis of this module is on developing the research skills that professionals require in order to research a medical education dissertation project. This course will help students develop their understanding of the philosophical and methodological bases of medical education research and enable participants to make an informed choice about research designs and methods

Curriculum Design and Session Planning (15 credits)

The module will provide opportunities to explore the concepts of curriculum design and lesson planning. Vis discussion and assessment, students will develop a deep appreciation of the complexities of curriculum planning and its alignment with stakeholder requirements and institutional aims.

Advanced Assessment Module (15 credits)

The module aims to provide an understanding of how to develop advanced assessment items and programmes in medical education and provide an overview of assessment development, emendation, standard setting, psychometric analysis and feedback.

Simulation in Medical Education (15 credits)

Simulation has an increasing role in medical education as it addresses learning needs in a safe environment without impact on service delivery. Simulation activities can be closely tailored to the needs of learners and facilitate the development of competence that is transferable to the real life situation. Medical educators need to have the knowledge and skills to design and deliver effective simulation based session using a variety of different resources. This module explores the theory that underpins this practice and the evidence base for simulation in medical education whilst giving learners an opportunity to put them into practice in a simulated medical learning environment.

Developing Professional Skills and Attitudes (15 credits) - Distance Learning

This module will provide opportunities to explore the concepts of professionalism and professional attitudes and how to teach and assess in these areas.

Media Design (15 credits) - Distance Learning

Teachers and learners are exposed to a wide variety of educational media, including audio-visual, printed and electronic teaching material. This module will be a synthesis of knowledge gained from earlier course modules relating media to educational theory; students will develop skills in producing media using a variety of technologies.

Participants will look at the role of educational media in teaching, introduce the basic principles of the design and production of instructional materials, and will involve students in practical work producing a range of teaching materials.

Independent Study Module (15 credits) - Distance Learning

The module will allow the student, in consultation with an educational supervisor, to develop and execute a personal learning plan in a chosen area and be assessed on the evidence provided, against the specified learning outcomes.

Students are able to develop specific areas of teaching or explore special interests within the framework of the Master's programme. Clinical teachers working in particular settings (e.g. diagnostic imaging, pathology, primary care, surgical specialities, etc.) may wish to explore packages to meet the needs of small numbers of specialist trainees. Provided such development involves new learning on the part of the Diploma student, evidence of this may be accredited within this module. The module may also provide a basis for testing ideas that will be developed further in the dissertation component.

Dissertation

There are no formal modules within the dissertation

The nature of the dissertation is usually a student project rather than original research, though it is acceptable for the dissertation to be part of a research project for which the candidate has considerable responsibility. Other forms of project might include:

Action research
An original research project
Desk exploration of a topic for the purpose of developing policy or a research agenda in a given area
Systematic review of the literature
Study of pre-existing data sets
Educational service development
Development, implementation and evaluation of educational interventions
Attitudinal surveys

Dissertation
The dissertation is a formal written academic project of between 15,000 and 18,000 words.

Our expertise

Academic staff in the School of Medicine for Clinical Education include:

Course Director: Dr Clive Gibson (c.gibson@keele.ac.uk)

Dr Clive Gibson was appointed to the School of Medicine in 2008 and is Director of the programmes leading to the MSc in Clinical Education and Academic Staff Development. Clive as a general practitioner completed his Masters in Medical Education in 2005 worked in the West Midlands and has taught extensively both locally, nationally and internationally and published in the area of clinical education. He is currently the External Examiner for the Clinical Education programmes at Bristol Medical School and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Module Lead: Effective Clinical Teaching, Vikki Foley (v.foley@keele.ac.uk)

Vikki Foley was appointed to the School of Medicine in 2016 as a Lecturer in Clinical Education and provides Academic support for Staff Development initiatives within the Medical School. Vikki has an NHS background where she worked in Clinical Science and has substantial experience of work based teaching and learning in clinical environments. She has several years of experience as an academic, teaching at DeMontfort University and as a Teaching and Learning specialist at Warwick Medical School before moving to Keele University. She is a Senior Fellow of the HEA and module leader for a range of modules across Postgraduate medicine courses. Vikki is actively researching in the field of Clinical Education.

Dr Sheena Gibson. Module lead Effective Educational Supervision and Professionalism (s.gibson@keele.ac.uk)

Sheena Gibson joined the Clinical Education team in February 2020 as a Lecturer but has been Module Lead for the Professionalism Module since 2007. She has experience in the Undergraduate Medical Programme at Keele having previously been Year 5 lead (2008-2012). She is a GP near Stafford, a Locality Lead Appraiser and a GP Trainer. In addition she has been a RCGP examiner since 2O05 so she has a strong interest in assessment . Her Masters in Medical Education is from Cardiff and her dissertation looked at the “Educational needs of Primary Health care teams” and was very much focussed on interprofessional education.

Teaching Fellow: Dr Eliot Rees (e.rees@keele.ac.uk)

Dr Eliot Rees was appointed as a teaching fellow in Clinical Education at the School of Medicine in 2018, after having contributed to teaching on the MSc in Clinical Education during his academic foundation programme. Eliot works as a junior doctor in the NHS, and is undertaking a PhD in Medical Education investigating widening access in undergraduate admissions. His previous research focused on community based medical education and peer teaching in medical education. He currently serves on the education research committee of ASME, is vice chair of TASME, and is an editorial board member for Education for Primary Care.