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 on-site residential sessions in the United States and two virtual distance-learning sessions. Held during the months of September and October in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, 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
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Session 1 – Foundation (residential in the U.S.) – 3 weeks
This Session addresses four areas:- Education concepts – problem-based learning, adult learning theory, lecturing, use of computers in education, clinical skills teaching and assessment, faculty development, student assessment, and program evaluation;
- Leadership and management – understanding leadership style, small group dynamics, highly effective teams, conflict management, project management tools, strengths-based leadership, and managing change;
- Building an international community of practice – facilitated through various interactive exercises to build a learning circle among the participants; and
- Refinement of education innovation project – refining the plan for the education innovation project to be implemented and evaluated during Session 2.
A problem-based approach will be employed for many sessions, using participant projects as a starting point for discussions, followed by learner-centered sessions staffed by experts to address specific issues.
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Session 2 – Mentoring and Learning Web (virtual) – 11 months
This session occurs from the Fellow's home institution, during the interval between the two residential sessions. Year 1 Fellows are assisted in completing their education innovation projects through a co-mentoring relationship with a Fellow from Year 2. They also actively participate in deepening their foundations in health professions education and scholarship through group web-based discussions, moderation of a distance learning topic, and preparation of an oral presentation.
Advanced Learning and Community Development
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Session 3 – Advanced topics (residential in the U.S.) – 2 weeks
This session addresses four areas:- Education concepts – distance learning, medical school accreditation, international health professions education, qualitative research methods, and program evaluation;
- Leadership and management – advanced use of leadership style, expanding leadership repertoires, and sustaining change;
- Education scholarship – formal poster presentation on education innovation project, presentation of education expertise, and preparation of abstracts for publication; and
- Deepening and expansion of the international community of practice – through developing co-mentoring relationships with the new Year 1 FAIMER Fellows.
- Session 4 – Mentoring and Learning Web (Virtual) – 11 months
During this session, Year 2 Fellows focus on: (1) developing educational scholarship, with assistance from FAIMER faculty, 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 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 other Fellows of the preceding and succeeding classes, so that they form a community with at least 48 health professions educators from around the world. Collaboration among participants in the distance learning periods and after the conclusion of the program is facilitated by an innovative web-based format.
Schedule
The schedule for the 2008 fellowship cycle is:
| Jan 2008 | Application deadline |
| Mar 2008 | Review of applications |
| Apr 2008 | Announcement of awards |
| Oct 5 - 24 2008 | Session 1 |
| Nov 2008 - Sep 2009 | Session 2 |
| Oct 2009 | Session 3 |
| Nov 2009 - Sep 2010 | Session 4 |