Medical Education module (BM41012)
Develop skills and knowledge as an educator. You will cover educational theory, curriculum design, assessment and policy
Medical Education is a 30-credit module at the core of BMSc Medical Education. It is led by Dr Kevin McConville and Dr Charlotte Wright.
The module is structured around six units.
The first three cover the theoretical and practical foundations of teaching:
- educational theory and its application to medical practice
- curriculum design and development
- assessment methodology
You'll explore a range of assessment strategies and learn how to apply quality assurance standards.
The fourth unit examines education policy, exploring how social, health, and education policy shapes the design and delivery of medical education.
The fifth unit focuses on continuing professional development, covering the structure of medical education and training in Scotland, mentoring, leadership, and the role of technology in lifelong learning.
The sixth unit is a reflective teaching portfolio. You'll compile evidence of your teaching practice that meets the requirements for AdvanceHE Associate Fellowship (AFHEA) at Descriptor 1 level.
What you will learn
In this module, you will:
- Explore key theories of learning and how they apply to medical education
- Understand how curricula are designed, developed, and evaluated
- Study a range of assessment strategies and how to apply quality assurance standards
- Examine how social, health, and education policy shapes medical education
- Explore continuing professional development, including mentoring, leadership, and lifelong learning
- Build a reflective teaching portfolio that supports your application for AdvanceHE Associate Fellowship
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Identify common learning approaches and apply relevant educational theories to curriculum design, teaching, and assessment
- Know how to design and develop a curriculum, and evaluate its effectiveness
- Evaluate a range of assessment strategies and apply quality assurance standards to your own practice
- Situate the influence of social, health, and education policy on medical education
- Reflect critically on your own teaching practice and development
- Produce a teaching portfolio that meets the requirements for AdvanceHE Associate Fellowship (AFHEA) at Descriptor 1 level
Assignments / assessments
Essay or oral presentation (50%)
- Option 1: 3,500-word essay critically appraising your teaching practice in relation to educational theory, policy, curriculum design, and assessment
- Option 2: 20-minute oral presentation with 5 to 10 minutes of questions
Teaching portfolio (50%)
- 1,400-word reflective account of your teaching experiences meeting AdvanceHE AFHEA Descriptor 1 criteria
- Must include evidence of professional values (V1 and V3), core knowledge (K1, K2, K3), and effective practice in at least two Areas of Activity
This module does not have a final exam.
Teaching methods / timetable
- Seminars and workshops
- Tutor-led sessions
- Self-directed learning
- Group work
A field trip is included in the Education Policy unit to ground theory in practice.