The class of students who began the FAIMER-Keele Master’s in Health Professions Education Distance Learning program in 2014 completed their residential session at Keele University in the United Kingdom from February 11-18, 2017. The session was led by Course Directors Professor Janet Grant of The Centre for Medical Education in Context (CenMEDIC) and Dr. John Norcini of FAIMER, as well as unit authors Dr. Danette McKinley and Dr. Marta van Zanten (both of FAIMER). Members of the Master’s class presented and defended their dissertation proposals during the weeklong session, and acquired higher skills in research methods. With their proposals approved, they will conduct the activities needed to complete their dissertations by August 2017.
The intensive residential session provided an opportunity for students to have face-to-face meetings with the faculty, administrators, and classmates they have been corresponding with since the cohort began their studies in September 2014. Students met with the Keele University librarian, Stephen Parton, to refine their literature searches. Dr. Matthew Street, Learning Technology Officer, provided an overview of the use of plagiarism detection at Keele and gave them tips for writing their summaries of related research, including proper referencing. Guidelines for academic writing were provided by Mrs. Suzanne Heaton, Foundation Year Coordinator for the Language Learning Unit. Students also had the unique opportunity to discuss workplace-based assessment in primary care with Dr. Alwyn Ralphs, Deputy Director of Postgraduate Programmes. Dr. Rodney Gale (CenMEDIC and unit author) was on hand to discuss leadership and management issues. Professor David Gordon, President of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), explained WFME’s role in medical education, and discussed current efforts in recognition of accrediting bodies. He moderated a debate on the premise “accreditation improves the quality of medical education,” where the attending students took positions for and against. Previous Course Director Professor Kay Mohanna, previous medical School Dean Professor Val Wass, and Mrs. Debbie Paddison, Keele Postgraduate Manager, were available to provide the students with the guidelines for submission of their dissertations and university regulations, and to respond to any of their inquiries. Mrs. Heather Owen, CenMEDIC Program Evaluator, was there to observe the residential session. The course dinner, held on the evening of February 16 in a stately home, was attended by the Dean of Keele University Medical School, Professor Andrew Hassell, and Dr. Clive Gibson, who is the Keele course co-Director.
We are pleased to announce the current members of the FAIMER-Keele Master’s class:
Dr. Imad Al-Khawaja, Saudi Arabia
Professor Dinesh Badyal, India
Dr. Ricardo Borda, Colombia
Professor Sucheta Dandekar, India
Dr. Rebecca Gillibrand, United Kingdom
Dr. Homa Kabiri, Afghanistan
Dr. Asad Khan, Pakistan
Dr. Naveed, Pakistan
Dr. Lynette Palmer, Sierra Leone
Professor Riffat Shafi, Pakistan
Dr. Fabio Silva, Brazil
Dr. Sam Suhail, United States
Participants in the FAIMER-Keele Distance Learning program are able to earn a Certificate, Diploma, or Master’s Degree in Health Professions Education: Accreditation and Assessment. The program aims to empower health professions educators and those who manage or support education with the knowledge and skills to take educational standards and practice to a higher level—to develop their own practice, to improve health professions education at their institutions and in their communities, and ultimately to help bring about real and lasting advances in local health care.
The program is conducted in partnership with Keele University and CenMEDIC in the United Kingdom. Courses are administered by CenMEDIC and follow the strict quality assurance guidelines and policies of Keele. The program meets the WFME standards for Master’s degrees.
To learn more about the program, please visit http://www.faimer.org/distance-learning/index.html.
