FAIMER News

Application for the 2020 FAIMER Institute Is Now Open

J DrendallFebruary 14, 2019February 12, 2019applications, FAIMER Institute, fellowshipsPhiladelphia

FAIMER is now accepting applications for the 2020 FAIMER Institute. The FAIMER Institute is a competitive two-year fellowship program for international health professions educators who have demonstrated the potential to play a key role in improving health professions education at their institutions and in their countries. The program is unique among leadership programs and other degree programs in health professions education—it is a transformational global educational experience for health professions faculty. It is designed to teach education methods, leadership and management, education scholarship and research, and project management and evaluation, as well as to develop strong professional bonds with other educators as each Fellow becomes a member of a global network of health professions educators. An interactive, high-engagement approach uses participants’ projects as the ‘laboratory’ to apply their learning.

The FAIMER Institute offers an intense, interactive educational experience spread out over two residential sessions in Philadelphia and three distance learning sessions. Year one (March 2020 – February 2021) is comprised of a three-week onsite session in Philadelphia, followed by an 11-month distance learning session. Year two (March 2021 – December 2021) is comprised of a two-week onsite session in Philadelphia, followed by a nine-month distance learning session. Participants earn a certificate from FAIMER for completing the fellowship, and are also offered an additional opportunity to earn a Certificate in Health Professions Education: Accreditation and Assessment through the FAIMER-Keele Distance Learning program.

Participants’ education innovation projects are the focal point for application of learning at the FAIMER Institute. For 2020, FAIMER encourages applicants to propose education innovation projects that support maternal and child health. Maternal and child health projects will provide an opportunity for Fellows to connect education innovation and health outcomes, by encouraging them to identify key health problems and create health workforce education innovations to address them. Projects in other domains such as education methods, leadership, community health (in areas other than maternal and child health), and program evaluation will also be considered.

Thanks to generous support from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and other benefactors, FAIMER is able to sponsor most participants to attend the Institute. A wide range of financial support is available, including significant scholarships, based on need.

The deadline for application is September 5, 2019. FAIMER offers a rolling admission process. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received.

For more information on the FAIMER Institute, visit www.faimer.org/education/institute/index.html.

To apply, visit https://faimer.fluidreview.com/.

Registration Is Open for the 2019 Conference of The Network: Towards Unity for Health

J DrendallFebruary 8, 2019February 7, 2019conferences, The Network: TUFHAustralia, Darwin, Flinders University

Registration for the 2019 annual conference of The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH) is now open. Celebrating 40 years of The Network: TUFH, the 2019 conference will be co-hosted by Flinders University and held September 10-13, 2019, in Darwin, Australia. The theme of the conference is Social Accountability: From Evidence to Action.

The deadline for early bird registration is April 30, 2019.

To register, visit https://www.ivvy.com.au/event/9PSAHT/.

For detailed conference information, visit https://www.tufh2019.com/.

Call for Abstracts for the 2019 Conference of The Network: Towards Unity for Health

J DrendallJanuary 23, 2019February 7, 2019conferences, The Network: TUFHabstracts, Australia, Darwin, Flinders University

The call for abstracts for the 2019 annual conference of The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH) is now open. Celebrating 40 years of The Network: TUFH, the 2019 conference will be co-hosted by Flinders University and held September 10-13, 2019, in Darwin, Australia. The theme of the conference is Social Accountability: From Evidence to Action.

The conference organizers invite abstracts relevant to one of the conference subthemes:

First Nation’s health
Remote and rural health
Interprofessional education and practice
Future leaders in socially accountable education and research
Other (use this subtheme if you are unsure of where your abstract fits)

The deadline for abstract submission is March 3, 2019. Abstracts will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Detailed information on the abstract submission process, including formats and the abstract review process, can be found here.

Visit the conference website for more information.

New GSMC-FAIMER Regional Institute Leadership

J DrendallJanuary 23, 2019January 19, 2019FAIMER faculty, Regional InstitutesGSMC

Earlier this month, FAIMER and Seth G.S. Medical College (GSMC) announced new leadership of the GSMC-FAIMER Regional Institute. Effective January 1, 2019, the new Co-Directors of the GSMC-FAIMER fellowship program are Praveen Iyer (GSMC 2007) and Henal Shah (GSMC 2006, PHIL 2008, IFME 2010), and the new Associate Director is Munira Hirkani (GSMC 2008).

The GSMC-FAIMER program was the first of FAIMER’s Regional Institutes to be developed, launching in 2005 under the direction of Avinash Supe (PHIL 2002). Dr. Supe served as the program’s Director from 2005-2018, with Nirmala Rege (PHIL 2015) joining him as Co-Director from 2010-2018.

FAIMER extends its sincere appreciation to Dr. Supe and Dr. Rege for their contributions to the development and growth of the GSMC-FAIMER fellowship program, and congratulates the new leadership team!

Apply Now for the 2019 Projects That Work Competition

J DrendallJanuary 15, 2019January 15, 2019competitions, Projects That Work, The Network: TUFHAustralia, Darwin

FAIMER is now inviting applications for the 2019 Projects That Work competition! This annual international competition shines a spotlight on projects that have had a significant impact on the health of communities and education of health professionals. This year, for the first time, FAIMER is excited to offer five grants of up to $30,000 each to help recipients expand their work.

Launched in 2013, Projects That Work has showcased more than 30 projects that have succeeded beyond initial implementation and had a significant impact on community health or health professions education over three or more years. “Projects are an important link between capacity building of health workers and impact on community health,” says William Burdick, M.D., FAIMER’s Vice President for Education. “Our Projects That Work competition highlights the teamwork, innovation, and evaluation that characterize the best of these.”

Past projects have focused on issues such as point-of-care diabetes testing in Cameroon, medical technology aimed at improving maternal and child health in India, hygiene and water sanitation projects in Rwanda, and malnutrition reduction field training in the Philippines, to name just a few. By providing the leaders of these projects with the opportunity to present their work to large audiences at the annual conference of The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH), FAIMER also aims to serve the international health care community at large by broadly disseminating information about what works.

Applications for 2019 Projects That Work grants must be completed online at https://faimer.fluidreview.com/res/p/projects-that-work/. Funding decisions will be made by a distinguished panel of international reviewers with a wide variety of expertise in health professions education, and up to five projects will be selected to receive grants. The recipients will present their projects at the 2019 conference of The Network: TUFH, being held September 10-13, 2019, in Darwin, Australia.

The deadline for application is March 8, 2019.

For more information on the Projects That Work competition, visit https://www.faimer.org/project-competitions/projects-that-work.html.

Apply Now for the 2019 Student Projects for Health Competition

J DrendallJanuary 15, 2019January 15, 2019competitions, Student Projects for Health, The Network: TUFHAustralia, Darwin

FAIMER is now inviting applications for the 2019 Student Projects for Health competition! The Student Projects for Health competition is supported by GEMx—a global partnership for educational exchange in medicine and the health professions—and FAIMER, and will be a feature of the annual conference of The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH). The 2019 conference will be held September 10-13, 2019, in Darwin, Australia. Sponsorship includes air travel, hotel accommodation, and conference registration fee. The theme of the conference is Social Accountability: From Evidence to Action. Winners will be invited to attend the conference and present posters about their projects. The award includes air travel, hotel accommodation, and conference registration fee.

Now in its fifth year, the Student Projects for Health competition recognizes students who have made outstanding contributions to projects that successfully promote community health and well-being. It is open to all undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in any course of study who have been participating in such projects. Approximately 15 winners will be selected and more than one student from the same project may be selected, so all key contributors are encouraged to apply. Each application will require an endorsement by a faculty member closely associated with the project.

Applications will be considered by a distinguished group of international reviewers with a wide variety of expertise in health professions education. Detailed information on selection criteria can be found here.

The deadline for application is March 8, 2019. To apply, click here.

December 2018 Graduates of the FAIMER-Keele Master’s in Health Professions Education Program

J DrendallDecember 14, 2018December 11, 2018distance learning, IFME, MHPEFAIMER-Keele

We are pleased to announce a second batch of 2018 graduates of the FAIMER-Keele Master’s in Health Professions Education: Accreditation and Assessment program! After completing a residential session at Keele University in February 2018, the Master’s students spent the next six months finishing their dissertations under the supervision of their advisors. Each dissertation was also reviewed by an independent marker, and the Keele University Examination Board met to review the results of the students’ efforts in mid-November.

The December 2018 graduates of the FAIMER-Keele Master’s program are:

Dr. Eman Asaad Ismail Ali, Egypt

Dr. Amol Dongre, India

Dr. Nadia El Asmar, Lebanon

Dr. Mobeen Iqbal, Pakistan

Dr. Homa Kabiri, Afghanistan

Krystina McNeil, United States

Salem Silvey, United States

Four of the November 2018 graduates passed with distinction, and two passed with merit. Course Director Professor Janet Grant shares that she was especially delighted to have two midwives in this cohort, in addition to the doctors.

Two members of the November 2018 graduating class are FAIMER International Fellowship in Medical Education (IFME) Fellows, alumni of the FAIMER Institute or Regional Institute fellowship programs who received sponsorship through FAIMER to participate in the program. IFME Fellows Amol Dongre and Mobeen Iqbal passed with merit and distinction, respectively.

Participants in the FAIMER-Keele 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 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.

Applications for the FAIMER-Keele Distance Learning program are currently closed. The 2019 application will open in early 2019, and course work will start on September 23, 2019.

Detailed information on the registration process, eligibility requirements, and tuition and fees can be found on the program’s website.

2019 Calendar Created by Page Morahan in Support of FAIMER

J DrendallNovember 15, 2018November 15, 2018supporting FAIMERcalendar, Page Morahan

Page Morahan, Founding Co-Director of the FAIMER Institute, has created a 2019 calendar in support of FAIMER, featuring images of public art from around the world. The photographs included, many of which were taken during her travels on behalf of FAIMER, are described by Dr. Morahan as “Public art that intrigued me in visits around the world—murals, sculptures, artistic architectural details, mosaics, sidewalk chalk art, and light art!”

Dr. Morahan’s calendar is available for purchase in two formats: wall and desktop/CD case. “This calendar honors those health professions educators who are so dedicated to developing the skills and knowledge of students and caring for their patients,” she says. All proceeds will be donated in support of FAIMER’s vision to improve the health of communities through improving health professions education.

FAIMER President John Norcini Announces Retirement

J DrendallSeptember 28, 2018FAIMER staffJohn Norcini

John J. Norcini, Ph.D., President and CEO of FAIMER, has announced that he will retire effective July 1, 2019. Dr. Norcini became FAIMER’s first president in May 2002, and has established numerous worldwide initiatives and programs in medical education, research, and data resource development during his 16-year tenure.

William W. Pinsky, M.D., President and CEO of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) and Board Chair of FAIMER, said an international search for Dr. Norcini’s successor will begin immediately.

“John’s dedication to FAIMER’s mission, his energy, and his broad vision have positioned FAIMER as a leader in the promotion of excellence in international health professions education through programmatic and research activities,” Dr. Pinsky said. “ECFMG’s and FAIMER’s board, staff, and partners are proud to share in John’s legacy.”

Dr. Norcini played an instrumental role in the development of FAIMER’s fellowship programs for health professions educators that include the FAIMER Institute, FAIMER Regional Institutes, and the International Fellowship in Medical Education (IFME)–a program originally sponsored by ECFMG, which transitioned to FAIMER in 2001. He championed the alignment of these programs with each other to create an educational pathway that allows international health professions educators to become outstanding local resources for improving health professions education.

Under Dr. Norcini’s supervision, the FAIMER Distance Learning program has flourished, offering health professions educators the knowledge and skills to advance health professions education at their institutions to the highest international standards. Since 2013, he has served as Co-Director of the FAIMER-Keele Master’s in Health Professions Education: Accreditation and Assessment program, conducted in partnership with Keele University and the Centre for Medical Education in Context (CenMEDIC); and he serves as lead faculty for the newly launched FAIMER-Gulf Medical University joint Master in Health Professions Education program.

Dr. Norcini has overseen FAIMER research activities in the broad domains of the international migration of physicians, United States physician workforce issues, and international medical education programs. FAIMER also designs and conducts studies focused on international health professions education, including the quality of medical schools and their graduates, international accreditation, licensure, and certification processes. FAIMER frequently conducts these investigations in collaboration with other institutes and researchers, and aims to inform policy makers in government, academia, and various other interested organizations.

FAIMER has also made significant strides in achieving its goal of building information resources on medical education worldwide under Dr. Norcini’s leadership. He has overseen the development of the Directory of Organizations that Recognize/Accredit Medical Schools (DORA), directories of master’s and doctoral programs in health professions education, the Postgraduate Medical Education (PME) Project, and the World Directory of Medical Schools—a resource created and maintained in collaboration with the World Federation for Medical Education.

Dr. Norcini received several awards and honors, including the 2014 Karolinska Institutet Prize for Research in Medical Education for his pioneering research on knowledge decay, specialty certification, and the development of new methods of assessment. In 2009, he received the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) John P. Hubbard Award for his commitment to excellence in medical education, his rigorous pursuit of high standards in scholarship, his broad and prolific publications and presentations history, and his tireless work on behalf of FAIMER. Dr. Norcini’s accomplishments in the field of assessment are considered both wide-ranging and pioneering.

Dr. Norcini has served on the editorial boards of seven peer-reviewed journals in measurement and medical education, has lectured and taught in nearly 50 countries, and has published extensively. He has served on countless committees contributing to the fields of education, assessment, and research.

Before joining FAIMER, Dr. Norcini spent 25 years with the American Board of Internal Medicine serving as Director of Psychometrics, Executive Vice President for Evaluation and Research, and Executive Vice President of the Institute for Clinical Evaluation. He earned his bachelor’s degree from LaSalle University and his doctorate from Bryn Mawr College.

Application Deadline for 2019 FAIMER Institute Extended to October 31

J DrendallSeptember 12, 2018September 12, 2018applications, FAIMER Institute, fellowships

The application deadline for the 2019 FAIMER Institute has been extended to October 31, 2018.

The FAIMER Institute is a competitive 30-month fellowship program for international health professions educators who have demonstrated the potential to play a key role in improving health professions education at their institutions and in their countries. The program is unique among leadership programs and other degree programs in health professions education—it is a transformational global educational experience for health professions faculty. It is designed to teach education methods, leadership and management, education scholarship and research, and project management and evaluation, as well as to develop strong professional bonds with other educators as each Fellow becomes a member of a global network of health professions educators. An interactive, high-engagement approach uses participants’ projects as the ‘laboratory’ to apply their learning.

The FAIMER Institute offers an intense, interactive educational experience spread out over two residential sessions in Philadelphia and three distance learning sessions. Year one (March 2019 – February 2020) is comprised of a three-week onsite session in Philadelphia, followed by an 11-month distance learning session. Year two (March 2020 – August 2021) is comprised of a two-week onsite session in Philadelphia, a five-month distance learning session, and a 12-month distance learning session during which participants earn a Certificate in Health Professions Education: Accreditation and Assessment through the FAIMER-Keele Distance Learning program.

Participants’ education innovation projects are the focal point for application of learning at the FAIMER Institute. For 2019, FAIMER encourages applicants to propose education innovation projects that support maternal and child health. Maternal and child health projects will provide an opportunity for Fellows to connect education innovation and health outcomes, by encouraging them to identify key health problems and create health workforce education innovations to address them. Projects in other domains such as education methods, leadership, community health (in areas other than maternal and child health), and program evaluation will also be considered.

The deadline for application is October 31, 2018. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and applicants will be informed as selected.