FAIMER Institute
Curriculum
The FAIMER Institute program comprises two parts: Foundations in Health Professions Education—Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship; and Advanced Learning and Community Development.
The Fellowship is divided into four sessions, including two residential sessions and two on-line distance learning sessions. Held during the month of October in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States, the residential sessions consist of a three-week session the first year and a two-week session the second year.
Schedule Overview
Foundations in Health Professions Education—Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship
- Session 1 – Foundation (residential in the United States) – 3 weeks
This session addresses four areas:- Education concepts – problem-based learning, adult learning theory, information technology in education, clinical skills teaching and assessment, faculty development, distance learning, student assessment, reflective practice, and development of a health professions educator portfolio
- Leadership and management – understanding leadership styles, small group dynamics, highly effective teams, conflict management, project management tools, and managing change
- Building a global community of practice – facilitated through various interactive exercises to build a learning community among the participants
- Educational scholarship – refinement of the plan for implementing and evaluating the innovation project during Sessions 2 and 4, principles and tools of program evaluation, basics of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis
An interactive, high-engagement approach is used for most sessions, using participants’ projects as a starting point for many discussions.
- Session 2 – Mentoring and Learning Web (On-line) – 11 months
This session is conducted from the Fellow’s home institution between the two residential sessions. First-year Fellows are assisted in completing their education innovation project through a co-mentoring relationship with a faculty mentor and second-year Fellows. First-year Fellows also deepen their foundation in health professions education and scholarship through active participation in Fellow-planned and -led on-line discussions, as well as preparation of an oral presentation on this experience. During Session 2, Fellows prepare a poster and an abstract based on their education innovation project, to be presented and discussed during Session 3.
Advanced Learning and Community Development
- Session 3 – Advanced topics (residential in the United States) – 2 weeks
This session addresses four areas:- Education concepts – advanced topics in distance learning, international health professions education, qualitative and quantitative research methods, and program evaluation
- Leadership and management – advanced use of leadership style, strengths-based leadership, expanding leadership repertoires, appreciative inquiry and leadership, and sustaining change
- Education scholarship – formal poster presentation on education innovation project, refinement of abstracts for publication, expanded definitions of scholarship, and development of education scholarship goals and plans
- Deepening and expanding of the international community of practice – through continuing learning community activities, development of co-mentoring relationships with the new first-year FAIMER Fellows, and deepening mentorship and collaboration with faculty
- Session 4 – Mentoring and Learning Web (On-line) – 11 months
During this session, Fellows focus on: (1) developing educational scholarship with assistance from FAIMER faculty and Fellow co-mentors, based on education innovation projects, studies arising from the distance learning discussions, and collaborative projects; (2) deepening knowledge base in health professions education and research through ML-Web distance learning discussions; and (3) expanding and deepening the international community of practice.
The FAIMER Institute’s emphasis on development of professional communities of practice is encouraged through its residential setting, use of small group learning and discussion, and informal sessions designed to introduce participants to world leaders in health professions education. Fellows have the opportunity to interact during the residential sessions and during the distance learning sessions with Fellows from the preceding and succeeding classes, so that they become part of an ongoing community of educators from around the world. Continuing communication and collaboration among Fellows after the conclusion of the fellowship program is strongly encouraged and facilitated by FAIMER.
Schedule
The schedule for the 2011 fellowship cycle is:
| June 2010 | Application opens |
| January 2011 | Application deadline |
| March 2011 | Review of applications |
| April 2011 | Announcement of awards |
| October 2-27, 2011 | Session 1 |
| November 2011-September 2012 | Session 2 |
| October 2012 | Session 3 |
| November 2012-September 2013 | Session 4 |