Iram Haq, 2021-23 Cohort
Current Post: ST7 in General Surgery
Educational Responsibilities: Faculty for Academic and Clinical Educators for Liverpool University Medical School and a North West Deanery Mentor
The Medical Education Fellowship is well recommended. The fellowship has allowed me to apply myself more objectively as an educator. It is a great platform for understanding medical education at depth and breadth. For example, from structuring educational projects to educational literature and theory. It does also allow you to network with other educators both at a trainee, professorial, managerial and consultant level.
During my fellowship I have focused on medical mentoring as I believe this is a very underutilised educational tool, with great benefits to the trainee and subsequently patient care. The funded PGCert enabled me to appreciate the literature around this and critical thinking about mentoring; as well as other educational theories and literature. My writing has now been used as course exemplary essays. I also managed to be the PGCert representative aiding in improving the overall external assessment score of the course, and my personal leadership/management skills.
My project on mentoring is to enable better matching using an automated algorithm. This to be employed in the deanery mentorship programme. I have presented my side-project on virtual mentoring at an international AoME (Academy of Medical Educator) conference. I also managed to gain access by being a fellow to many educational discussions with senior educators, ARCP panels, exclusive educator conferences and other educational experiences.
This fellowship was a springboard into education, for which I am grateful for. To continue this momentum, I hope to publish my work, fully establish the mentoring algorithm, and become an associate clinical tutor. I also wish to continue onto PGDip within my registrar years. This educational journey I hope will lead to being an educator associated with the deanery as a consultant. I feel this is very do-able after this fellowship and the continued links and support given by Dr Thomson, Ms Metcalfe, Ms McMahon and the team.
Nuha Ahmed, 2019-21 Cohort
Current Post: ST6 in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Educational Responsibilities: RCOG Advanced Training Skills Module in Medical Education
Although I have always been interested in teaching, the MEF has really encouraged me to consciously pursue and craft a path within Postgraduate Medical Education. I developed my leadership skills through conducting a large educational project, demonstrating the ability to engage and motivate others, flexibility, resourcefulness and creativity.
The MEF has also led me to explore my specific interests within Medical Education, including being exposed to qualitative research when completing the Edge Hill module on Research and Clinical Education. I have read a wide array of literature on feedback and reflection, which has helped me develop as a learner myself.
I hope to complete my Masters in Clinical Education and, following CCT, develop into a senior educator role at trust and deanery level. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and the support and encouragement I received from Sarah Metcalfe and Alistair Thomson!
Jonathan Heseltine, 2019-21 Cohort
Current Post: Consultant in Medical Oncology at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS FT
Educational Responsibilities: Educational Supervisor
I am now a consultant in Medical Oncology working in Merseyside. After finishing in my position as an MEF I went on to become a Chief Registrar, a leadership role co-sponsored by a local trust and the RCP. My involvement in these two roles has given me the opportunity to deliver local, regional and national educational programmes as well as develop knowledge in general leadership and the NHS structures / hierarchy. I believe that there’s a lot of overlapping skills and themes in both streams. I’ve grown projects based around pathways, developed a new service, supervised clinical fellows, and been closely involved with new processes that affect Junior Doctors. As a new consultant I’m currently finding my feet in the role, but I continue to act as an Educational Supervisor for a Specialist Registrar in our trust.
The MEF is useful in giving some structure to your educational projects and putting you in touch with like-minded individuals. The funded PG Certificate gives you the opportunity to establish your teaching philosophy and educates you about the wider principles in adult learning. Even now I look back at the materials and my essays to remind myself about how to frame things and reposition my mind-set. In all, it was a valuable experience which has developed me and set me up for a longer-term involvement in medical education.