FacilitatorIssue 32 | Summer 2009 School of Medicine Education News

Update from the Director of EducationThere are two interesting changes planned for the BM programme from 2010.

First, we plan to introduce an Integrated Bachelor of Medical Science degree into the BM5/6 programme. To achieve this degree, students must complete the first four semesters of integrated teaching about the body in balance and the effects of disease, followed by a year of clinical attachments, and the Intermediate assessment at the end of year three. Two new courses will be introduced into year four - the Scientific Basis of Clinical Practice, and Research for Health. On successful completion of the rest of year four, including a research project (the Study in Depth), students will be awarded the BMedSc (Hons) degree, and the following year the BM.

The second change is the introduction of a classified intercalated Masters in Medical Science degree (MMedSc). Intercalated degrees are a well-established tradition within UK medical schools. They are classified honours degrees, with medical students often joining final-year students in other faculties for the formal teaching sessions. This is an asset for subsequent career development in all branches of medicine. A limited number of places will

be available for medical students who wish to take this new intercalated MMedSc while studying at Southampton from 2010. It will be a particular asset to students considering an academic career, and we are one of very few medical schools in the UK who offer this intercalated degree at masters level.

Students will transfer to the MMedSc programme after year three, and take a number of taught modules. This will strengthen appreciation of the scientific basis of clinical practice, and how advances in biomedical science are translated into clinical research and improved patient care. They will undertake a literature review, focusing on the background to their chosen research project. They will then proceed to the second year of the programme and complete a research methods course, a research project, a Journal Club and a Scientific Presentations unit. Students will be awarded an intercalated MMedSc degree and will go on to complete the final year of the BM 5 programme. The Intercalated MMedSc programme will commence in October 2010 subject to validation, and further information will be available in due course.

Chris Stephens

MEDUSA: not just a pretty face!An online staff development facility will be released soon, and we will be asking for your feedback. We have dropped the working title “MEDUonline” in favour of “MEDUSA” (Medical Education Development Unit Staff-development Access). This reflects our primary aim, which is to enhance access to staff development for our teachers spread across the region. Our pilot module is on assessing students undergoing the mini-CEX, and should be useful for many of our readers. You can watch a mini-CEX being conducted,

try your hand at rating a student, and see how your ratings compare with those of a panel of expert examiners. A fast-track option allows you to pick up the essentials in 15 minutes, though we hope this will entice you back later for the full learning experience! The next module, currently under development, is on planning and delivering lectures.

Kevin Galbraith

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Supporting Health Professional Educators in Teaching Genetics

Teaching in a clinical setting

PowerPointlessness and the art of lecturing

Wednesday 11th November 2009 9.30am – 4.30pm

Venue: Chilworth Manor Hotel, Chilworth SO16 7PT

Aims: To enable participants to enhance learning opportunities for students, while also engaged in patient related activities

In its work to integrate relevant genetics education into all levels of health professional education and training, the NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre has discussed the teaching of genetics concepts with educators from the university setting and those in non-genetics clinical practice. Many of these educators have reported low confidence in teaching genetics, citing a lack of clinical experience of genetic conditions, few patient stories and insufficient interactive teaching tools as the cause.

To address the needs of genetics educators across the UK, a team of regional Genetics Education Facilitators - genetic counsellors with an interest in education - will be seconded to the Centre for two days per week. They will be responsible for developing clinical scenarios and educational resources as well as running teaching sessions and workshops with genetics educators in their region. It is hoped that these regional roles will further strengthen the links between higher education institutions, the Regional Genetics Centres and the NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre.

Through regional support, resources and training, the Centre will assist educators in providing genetics education and training that is relevant to role, clinically appropriate and patient-focused.

For more information contact Jessica Shearn, Genetics Education Facilitator: jessica.shearn@suht.swest.nhs.uk

Jessica Shearn

Thursday 19th November 9.30 am to 4.30 pm

Venue: To be confirmed

Aim: to enhance the design and delivery of lectures

Facilitators: Norman Carr (Principal Clinical Teaching Fellow and BM5 Year 2 Coordinator)

Facilitators: Alex Fitzgerald-Barron (General Practitioner and Course Facilitator) and Faith Hill (Director, Division of Medical Education)

To register your interest in this event, please email Helen Burgess hpb@southampton.ac.uk or telephone 023 8059 4556

and Kevin Galbraith (Lecturer, Medical Education).

To register your interest in this event, please email Helen Burgess hpb@southampton.ac.uk or telephone 023 8059 4556

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Are you interested in medical education research?

Facilitator | Summer 2009 3

Innovate: Managing Education ChangeIn February we ran an exciting conference for the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences. Organised by Chris Stephens and myself with the help of members of the Medical Education Development Unit, the conference focussed on key issues in education leadership. It was attended by over 75 leaders in education, from around the Region and beyond. The conference was opened by Professor Debra Humphris, PVC Education, and Professor Iain Cameron, Head of the School of Medicine – both welcoming the conference and stressing the importance of education at this time.

Throughout the day there were thought-provoking and lively talks from a wide range of speakers, including a key-note introduction from Richard Hays, Head of the Medical School at Keele. Richard reminded us of the importance of not only innovation and change but also ensuring sustainability. Other key-notes included: updating on the postgraduate scene; working collaboratively; involving students and stakeholders; and the relevance of complexity theory. There

The Division of Medical Education (DOME) Research Forum takes place twice a year and provides members of the School with an opportunity to find out more about current education research projects, and to meet other education researchers. Speakers are asked to report not only their research findings, but also to include a discussion of the research methodology and the research process itself, such as data analysis, ethical considerations, funding streams and collaboration. This is followed by a discussion with members of the audience and rounded off with cheese and wine.

was also a choice of interactive workshops on issues such as professionalism, interdisciplinary learning, and internationalisation of the curriculum. The workshops gave delegates an opportunity to share ideas and discuss current challenges in higher education and some were attended by students to ensure their input to the day.

Students from Winchester School of Art also attended, and produced artwork for the delegates as a reminder of the conference. Extracts from a story board of the day by Tracy Mawdsley, and an artwork by Gary Roberts inspired by the Complexity and Change session are shown here. We would like to thank all the students for their work, which indicates the rich diversity of ideas discussed at the conference.

Faith Hill

On the 13 May 2009, Faith Hill, Kathy Kendall and Kevin Galbraith (from MEDU) reported on their evaluation of the undergraduate Mini-CEX (Clinical Evaluation Exercise), which was conducted in collaboration with Jim Crossley from the University of Sheffield and reported in Medical Education in April 2009.

In November 2009 we look forward to welcoming Professor Miriam Zukas from the University of Leeds, who will present a project entitled: “Learning Responsibility? Exploring Doctors’ Transitions to New Levels of Medical Performance” (date to be confirmed).

Details are available from the education forum web page: http://www.som.soton.ac.uk/divisions/medu/research/forum.htm

Anja Timm

Teaching Tomorrow’s Doctors course This is a 4 day course open to anyone who teaches Southampton medical undergraduates. The aims of the course are to offer staff opportunities to:

- Develop their teaching roles

- Explore the BM curriculum and how it is developing

- Consider a range of learning and teaching theory

- Share teaching experience

Dates for the Spring 2010 course (Course 24) are as follows:

Wednesday 3rd February and Thursday 4th February 2010

Wednesday 10th March and Thursday 11th March 2010

All enquiries and requests for application forms should be addressed to:

Mrs Helen Burgess

Telephone: 023 8059 4556

Email: hpb@southampton.ac.uk

Contact us

4 Facilitator | Summer 2008

For more details about the Medical Education Development Unit and our staff development courses, please go to: www.som.soton.ac.uk/divisions/medu

NHS staff can register at: www.som.soton.ac.uk

If you wish to contribute to this newsletter, please contact Frances Lowman at fdl@southampton.ac.uk

Call for assignment markers

During year 3, all students have to write two in course assignments. Each is approximately 3000 words long and allows students to select a clinical case that interests them. They describe the patient’s history and examination, and then write about the mechanisms of disease, aspects of treatment, and psychological, sociological and public health aspects of the case. The assignments are a good opportunity for students to exercise choice in the curriculum - cases chosen comprise a full range of physical and mental health problems.

The assignments are a component of the Intermediate examination, so they are important to students. They are marked by two markers, one specialist and one generalist. You do not have to be a specialist or academic to mark assignments – the only requirement is to have an interest in helping students to learn. Marking is done online, so you have to be prepared to access and mark work electronically. Training workshops are run in Autumn and Spring each year to help markers learn to use the system and to think about the feedback they give.

Each assignment takes between 30-45 minutes to mark, so if you mark, you commit yourself to about 2 hours work twice a year.

New markers are always welcome, so if you would like to consider this aspect of student assessment, please contact Gemma Malone in the School of Medicine office, on gdm1m08@soton.ac.uk ( extension 3391 at Southampton General Hospital)

Louise Dubras

This new course for BM5 Year 2 students aims to introduce the concept of evidence-based medicine, and to develop skills in evaluating evidence. The course starts with three mornings of teaching on epidemiological skills. The students then split into groups of three and are introduced to a patient with a specified condition by a GP tutor from the Medicine in Practice course. The student groups choose a topic that interests them about this disease, and search for evidence from the Cochrane Database and Medline. In week 7 of the course there is a plenary session in which all the groups present their findings to their colleagues, relating their findings to the individual patient. For the remainder of the course, each group critically appraises a journal paper, for which they have a choice of any one of seven. This critical appraisal is then marked by fourth-year students using detailed marking templates. This enables some realisation of the vertical thread leading from the teaching in year 2 to the execution of the fourth-year research project.

Evaluation of the course has been mixed: student opinion was mainly favourable, although there were some comments that the plenary session needed to be made more interesting by introducing more variety, and also that there was not sufficient student choice. One gratifying feature of the feedback was that students did understand the need for such concepts in education and they felt that the course went some way towards fulfilling those needs. There is, however, plenty of room for improvement in the coming years!

Nick Dunn

Student Selected Unit: appraising medical evidence