Professional Standards - Home | East of England · 2016-10-20 · Professional Standards (2012). London: Academy of Medical Educators; 2012 Academy of Medical Educators, Email: [email protected]

ProfessionalStandards

2012

Text © Academy of Medical Educators 2012First Edition 2009

Second Edition 2012Reprinted September 2012

All rights reserved for commercial use.

This document may only be copied or reproduced with the following acknowledgement:Academy of Medical Educators 2012

To cite this document:Academy of Medical Educators. Professional Standards (2012).

London: Academy of Medical Educators; 2012

Academy of Medical Educators,Email: [email protected]

Charity no: 1128988 Company no: 5965178www.medicaleducators.org

Contents

Foreword 4

Introduction 6

Use of the Standards 9

Application of the Standards 10

Continuing Professional Development 11

Core values of medical educators 12

Domain 1 Design and planning of learning activities 14

Domain 2 Teaching and supporting learners 16

Domain 3 Assessment and feedback to learners 18

Domain 4 Educational research & evidence-based practice 20

Domain 5 Educational management and leadership 22

Foreword

It is a pleasure to write the foreword for this updated edition of theAcademy’s Professional Standards. Our first version, published in 2009,has been widely cited and has prompted a great deal of interestnationally and internationally. It was developed after wide consultationand specific input from over one hundred different organisationsinvolved in medical education.

However, it is a sign of the times that within two years we have felt itnecessary to review and update the Standards. In the UK, education andtraining within the healthcare sector is coming under unprecedentedfunding pressures, and it is ever more important that we set clearstandards for the formal validation and recognition of medicaleducators. The Standards also provide direction and support for thecontinuing professional development of medical educators. Since 2009,the General Medical Council (GMC) and Postgraduate Medical Educationand Training Board (PMETB) regulatory functions in medical educationhave been merged, and the Department of Health’s (England) whitepaper Liberating the NHS and consultation Developing the healthcareworkforce have been published, heralding further radical changes forhealthcare education and training. The Academy has contributedextensively to, and supported the development of, the new GMCminimum standards for clinical trainers. We are developing assessmentprocesses to enable clinical trainers to demonstrate and meet both theAcademy’s and the new GMC standards.

In this revision we have tried to keep the format similar in terms ofdomains and levels, but have sought to simplify the descriptorstatements where this adds clarity. Underpinning all of these domainsare the core values of a medical educator.

The Academy is a professional standards organisation that exists toimprove patient care by promoting clinical and educational excellence.

Academy of Medical Educators4

We have recently broadened the routes into membership in order to bemore accessible to the full range of healthcare professionals involved inmedical education. Medical educators joining the Academy commit toour core values, including those of professionalism and scholarship, andto maintaining high standards of educational practice. They arecommitted professionals throughout their careers.

These revised Standards allow our members and others to benchmarktheir educational performance throughout their careers and to linkwith supportive communities of practice. We are interested indeveloping robust credentialing for key educational roles (such as theclinical trainer, the assessor, the appraiser, the simulation or clinical skillseducator). These credentialed roles will be referenced to and groundedwithin our overarching Professional Standards Framework.

The Academy is keen to work internationally with colleagues who maybe interested in adopting or adapting the Standards for their ownhealthcare systems.

I am pleased to acknowledge the efforts of many people, butparticularly Ian Curran (Chair), Stuart Carney (Academy Registrar) andEd Peile (Lead Assessor) and the other members of the ProfessionalStandards Committee who have taken on responsibility for updatingthe standards.

Sean HiltonPresident

Professional Standards 5

Introduction

The Academy of Medical Educators was established in 2006.

The Academy of Medical Educators is a charitable organisationdeveloped to advance medical education1 for the benefit of the publicthrough:

a) the development of a professional standards framework andqualification systems;

b) undertaking research for the continuing development ofprofessional medical education; and

c) the promotion and dissemination of current best practice inmedical education.

The Academy developed and launched the first edition of theProfessional Standards for medical educators in 2009. The Standardsand associated assessment processes provide a robust mechanism forformal professional recognition for all those involved in the educationof medical students and doctors.

To ensure the Standards remain contemporary the ProfessionalStandards Committee of the Academy of Medical Educators hasrevised them in 2012.


1 The term ‘medical education’ encompasses dental andveterinary medical education, in line with the inclusiveapproach adopted by the Higher Education Academy’s SubjectCentre for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine:http://www.medev.ac.uk/about/

Benefits of the Professional Standards

The Academy believes that the Professional Standards and associatedassessment processes offer significant benefits to key stakeholders andindividuals working in the broad field of medical education. Weanticipate they will be of relevance and value to:

• Patients and the public• Individual educators• Undergraduate deans• Postgraduate deans• Clinician educators in primary and secondary care• Medical educators• Surgical educators• Clinical skills tutors and trainers• Communication skills teachers• Teachers in the humanities and the broader social sciences• Postgraduate clinical tutors/Directors of medical education• Education managers• Postgraduate school directors• Recipients of medical education• Undergraduate students• Postgraduate trainees• Qualified practitioners undertaking continuing professional

development• Institutions and organisations• Universities/medical schools• Foundation and specialty schools• Postgraduate deaneries• NHS Trusts• Other healthcare providers• Royal colleges• Education commissioners• Regulators, notably the General Medical Council



Professional Standards

The Professional Standards encompass the skills, knowledge and practicerequired of those who perform the wide variety of educational rolesundertaken within medical education. The Professional Standards havebeen developed over recent years in wide consultation with the UKcommunity of professional medical educators. The Standards areoutcome-based and generic in nature. The Standards are designed to beinclusive and relevant to clinical and non-clinical medical educators.

The Professional Standards Committee of the Academy is responsiblefor setting the standards and providing guidance on how to meetthese standards.

We have worked closely with regulators including the General MedicalCouncil (GMC) to incorporate the Academy Standards into specificeducational roles and projects. Initially, we supported the GMC inestablishing standards to describe the specific role of educationalsupervisors for Foundation trainees. This work was funded by theDepartment of Health.

The domains of the GMC’s Framework for the Accreditation ofEducational Supervisors are closely related to the Academy’s ProfessionalStandards. In particular, they link to the core values of medical educatorsand the domains of teaching and supporting learners and assessmentand feedback to learners.

These revised Academy Standards have been set out in a format thatenables them to be mapped onto frameworks produced by otherorganisations, and we would be pleased to work with them insuch cases.


Use of the Standards

A key use of the Standards is as a basis for self assessment whereindividuals can map their knowledge, competence and achievements inorder to demonstrate that they qualify for Membership or Fellowshipof the Academy. Individuals may also use the Standards to identifyprofessional development needs, acquire new skills or develop existingskills to meet the specific requirements of new teaching and learningcontexts.

Associate Membership recognises commitment to our core values andawareness of the role of a medical educator

Membership recognises the achievements of a medical educator acrossone or more domain, and entitles the post-nominal: MAcadMEd.

Fellowship recognises significant achievement of a medical educatoracross one or more domain, and entitles the post-nominal: FAcadMEd.

The Standards can be used by organisations to identify the skills andcompetencies required of those who undertake or fulfil a wide rangeof educational roles. Organisations may also use the Standards todevelop and support a framework for the training and continuingprofessional development of their medical educators. The Standardshave been used when setting objectives in performance and appraisaland used for assessing the performance of medical educators withinorganisations.


Application of the Standards

The Professional Standards are divided into core values of medicaleducators and five domains.

Each domain in the Standards outlines the detailed outcomes in termsof understanding, skills and behaviour required of medical educators.This outcomes framework describes and underpins the expertprofessional practice of medical educators. The domains are sub-dividedinto three levels to describe and facilitate professional development andprogression of individuals throughout their career in medical education.The stated levels are used by Academy assessors in determining whetherto award Membership or Fellowship.


Continuing Professional Development

Engagement in effective and appropriate professional development isan integral part of Membership and Fellowship of the Academy. TheStandards clarify the professional characteristics that should bemaintained for the variety of roles undertaken by medical educators.After joining the Academy it would be expected that the Standardscontinue to be met as a means of broadening and deepeningprofessional practice.

All Members and Fellows of the Academy should undertakeappropriate CPD activities and the Standards should support them inidentifying professional development needs. For example, whilst it isexpected that Members meet requirements at level 2, the next levelsof the framework provide a reference point for future development.

The Academy aims to foster a professional community of practice formedical educators. These Standards were developed with ourstakeholders and a range of professionals in order to promote andsupport continuous development and examination of practice. We arecommitted to continuous improvement and will review these Standardsperiodically and update them to ensure they continue to be up to dateand relevant to the needs of our stakeholders.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is “the conscious updatingof professional knowledge and the improvement of personal competencethroughout your working life. It is a commitment to being professional,keeping up to date, and continuously seeking to improve.”

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2009)


Core Values of Medical Educators

The following core values underpin the professional practice anddevelopment of medical educators. Applicants should demonstrateand referees corroborate these attributes and qualities in applicants.

Core Values

Professional integrity

Educational scholarship

Equality of opportunityand diversity

Descriptor

• Works within a coherent professionalframework relevant to medical education

• Complies with relevant professionalstandards of practice

• Is an advocate for medical education

• Reflects upon his or her own professionalidentity and develops an educationalphilosophy

• Is active in his or her own professionaldevelopment as a medical educator

• Is committed to enhancing the practice ofmedical education through analysis andreflection

• Advances medical education throughscholarly endeavours

• Ensures equality of opportunity forpatients, students, trainees, staff andcolleagues

• Actively promotes and respects diversity indischarging his or her educationalresponsibilities


Core Values

Respect for the public

Respect for patients

Respect for learners

Respect for colleagues

Descriptor

• Balances the needs of high quality servicedelivery with the needs of high qualitymedical education.

• Is committed to providing safe andeffective learning at all times

• Acts with due consideration for theemotional, physical and psychologicalwellbeing of patients includingmaintaining the dignity and safety ofpatients at all times when dischargingeducational duties

• Through medical education, enhances thecare of patients

• Acts with due consideration for theemotional, physical and psychologicalwellbeing of learners

• Supports learners in their personal andprofessional development

• Acts with due consideration for theemotional, physical and psychologicalwellbeing of colleagues

• Supports colleagues in their personal andprofessional development


Domain 1Design and planning of learning activities

This domain outlines the expected standards for medical educatorsinvolved in educational design and learning development processes.Applicants must demonstrate and referees must corroborate thesecapabilities.

Element

Learning and teachingprinciples

Learning needs

Learning outcomes

Learning and teachingmethods and resources

Evaluation ofeducationalinterventions

Standard Level 1

1.1.1 Shows how the principles of learningand teaching are incorporated into educationaldevelopments

1.1.2 Is aware of different ways of learningand teaching

1.1.3 Shows how the needs of learners areconsidered

1.1.4 Is aware of the need to define what is tobe learned

1.1.5 Is aware of a range of learningmethods, experiences and resources and howthey may be used effectively

1.1.6 Responds appropriately to feedback andevaluation of educational interventions


Standard Level 3

1.3.1 Applies learning andteaching principles in the design ofa curriculum for a whole course ordegree programme

1.3.2 Conducts complex learningneeds analyses including those oflearners, groups, professions orhealthcare systems

1.3.3 Defines learning outcomeswithin theoretical frameworks

1.3.4 Is adaptive and effective insecuring resources and dealing withconstraints

1.3.5 Conducts, interprets, actson and disseminates evaluations oflearning programmes

Standard Level 2

1.2.1 Applies learning andteaching principles in the design of aunit, module or subject area

1.2.2 Matches course design tosupport different ways of learningand teaching

1.2.3 Gathers and interpretsbasic information on the needsof learners

1.2.4 Constructs appropriatelearning outcomes that can bemeasured or judged

1.2.5 Matches learning methods,experiences and resources tointended outcomes

1.2.6 Develops learning resourcesfor planned courses

1.2.7 Evaluates and improveseducational interventions


Domain 2Teaching and supporting learners

This domain outlines the expected standards for medical educatorsin relation to teaching and facilitating learning. Applicants mustdemonstrate and referees must corroborate these capabilities.

Element

Delivering teaching

Maintaining an effectivelearning environment

Learning and teachingmethods and resources

Feedback on learning

Participation

Reflection

Standard Level 1

2.1.1 Appropriately uses a range of learning andteaching methods and technologies

2.1.2 Is aware of the importance of establishing asafe and effective learning environment

2.1.3 Is aware of a range of learning methodsthat may be used in learning and teaching activities

2.1.4 Understands the importance of seeking,receiving and responding to feedback aboutlearning and teaching

2.1.5 Describes ways of involving learners inactual practice e.g. experiential learningopportunities

2.1.6 Is aware of the importance ofreflection on practice


Standard Level 3

2.3.1 Is adaptive and innovative inrespect to learning and teaching

2.3.2 Supports others to innovate

2.3.3 Monitors and manages complexlearning environments

2.3.4 Proactively seeks to improve thelearning environment

2.3.5 Adapts learning and teachingmethods to unexpected circumstances

2.3.6 Develops innovativelearningresources

2.3.7 Develops self-awareness inlearners and teachers

2.3.8 Interprets, synthesises and dealswith conflicting information arisingfrom feedback from learners andeducators

2.3.9 Effectively demonstrates tolearners the rationale for changing ornot changing teaching and learningactivities in response to feedback.

2.3.10 Actively seeks to incorporatelearners into a community of practice

2.3.11 Demonstrates a commitment toreflective practice in self, learners andcolleagues

Standard Level 2

2.2.1 Appropriately uses a broad rangeof learning and teaching methods andtechnologies

2.2.2 Establishes an effective learningenvironment

2.2.3 Provides educational, personaland professional support in relevantcontexts

2.2.4 Applies learning and teachingmethods that are relevant toprogramme content

2.2.5 Uses learning resourcesappropriately

2.2.6 Develops self-awareness inlearners

2.2.7 Listens actively and provideseffective feedback to learners using arange of methods

2.2.8 Engages learners in reflectivepractice.

2.2.9 Uses systems of teaching andtraining that incorporate reflectivepractice in self and others


Domain 3Assessment and feedback to learners

This domain outlines the expected standards for medical educators inmaking and reporting judgments that capture, guide and makedecisions about the learning achievement of learners. Applicants mustdemonstrate and referees must corroborate these capabilities.

Element

The purpose of theassessment

The content of theassessment

The development ofassessment

Selecting appropriate as-sessment methods

Maintaining the quality ofassessment

Standard Level 1

3.1.1 Is aware of the general purpose ofassessment

3.1.2 Is aware that assessment should align withthe course learning outcomes

3.1.3 Is aware that good assessmentpractices are integral to course development

3.1.4 Is aware that assessment methods arechosen on the basis of the purpose, content andlevel of the assessment

3.1.5 Uses a basic range of methods toassess learners

3.1.6 Is aware that assessment practicesrequire continuous monitoring andimprovement


Standard Level 3

3.3.1 Designs complex assessmentstrategies and blueprints

3.3.2 Maintains and managesassessment blueprints for one or morecourses or levels

3.3.3 Leads design anddevelopment of assessmentsutilising accepted good practice suchas in the determination of reliability,validity, acceptability, cost effectivenessand educational impact.

3.3.4 Assesses learners using a widerange of methods

3.3.5 Contributes under guidance tostandard setting processes

3.3.6 Applies standard settingprocedures most relevant toparticular methods and format

3.3.7 Interprets technical data abouteffectiveness of assessment practices

3.3.8 Prepares assessment reports forlearners, examination boards andexternal stakeholders

Standard Level 2

3.2.1 Relates the purposes ofassessments to the context of thecourse or programme

3.2.2 Demonstrates that thecontribution of any assessmentaddresses the learning outcomes andthe assessment blueprint

3.2.3 Contributes to theconstruction of assessment items

3.2.4 Selects assessment methods thatmatch the purpose, content and levelof the learner

3.2.5 Uses a broad range ofmethods to assess learners

3.2.6 Interprets accurately assessmentreports in relation to educationalquality management


Domain 4Educational research & evidence-based practice

This domain outlines the expected standards for medical educators inrelation to their own personal and professional development. Thisdomain is underpinned by a commitment to educational scholarship.Applicants must demonstrate and referees must corroborate thesecapabilities.

Element

Theoretical andevidence-base ofmedical education

Standard Level 1

4.1.1 Is aware of basic educational theories andprinciples

4.1.2 Is aware of literature relevant tocurrent developments in medical education

4.1.3 Is aware of the principles of criticalappraisal

4.1.4 Is aware of the major issues and challengesfacing medical educational research


Standard Level 3

4.3.1 Advanced understanding of awide range of educational theoriesand principles

4.3.2 Critically evaluates theliterature at an advanced level andapplies this to his or hereducational practice

4.3.3 Develops new educationalinsights, theories and practices,through policy development and/oracademic publication in relevantjournals

4.3.4 Designs, supervises, managesand evaluates research strategies orprojects

4.3.5 Contributes to educationalresearch or projects applyingappropriate research methods

4.3.6 Mentors and supports theprofessional development ofeducational researchers or educationalproject leads

Standard Level 2

4.2.1 Understands and applies a rangeof educational theories and principles

4.2.2 Critically evaluates theeducational literature and applies thislearning to his or her educationalpractice

4.2.3 Contributes to the design anddevelopment of educational researchor projects

4.2.4 Interprets and applies theresults of educational research to hisor her educational practice


Domain 5Educational management and leadership

This domain outlines the expected standards for medical educators inrelation to the management, leadership and governance of medicaleducation. Applicants must demonstrate and referees must corroboratethese capabilities.

Element

Education management

Educational leadership

Educational governance

Standard Level 1

5.1.1 Manages personal educational time andresources effectively

5.1.2 Achieves intended educationaloutcomes by meeting the learning needsof individuals

5.1.3 Understands role in local education

5.1.4 Understands the roles of statutory andother regulatory bodies in the provision andquality assurance of medical education


Standard Level 3

5.3.1 Manages educationalprogrammes and resources,including individuals and financialresources beyond the local level

5.3.2 Advanced ability tocommunicate, lead, develop,integrate and formulate a widerange of educational interventionsand programmes

5.3.3 Impacts upon medicaleducation beyond immediategeographical locus

5.3.4 Contributes to educationalpolicy and development at anational level

5.3.5 Successfully discharges seniorroles in medical education

5.3.6 Is involved in the developmentof effective educational standards orgovernance frameworks

Standard Level 2

5.2.1 Manages educationalprogrammes and resources,including individuals and financialresources at a local level

5.2.2 Leads educational projects orprogrammes locally

5.2.3 Supports the educationaldevelopment of others within a localteam, faculty or department

5.2.4 Is involved in the provision andquality assurance of medical education

Academy of Medical EducatorsEmail: [email protected]

Charity no: 1128988 Company no: 5965178www.medicaleducators.org

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Professional Standards - Home | East of England · 2016-10-20 · Professional Standards (2012). London: Academy of Medical Educators; 2012 Academy of Medical Educators, Email: [email protected]