2008 News Archive
- 2008 CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute (APR 30, 2008)
- FAIMER Regional Institute Applications (APR 30, 2008)
- 2008 Southern Africa-FAIMER Regional Institute (APR 30, 2008)
- New AMEE Guide Series (APR 23, 2008)
- In the Spotlight: Thomas Jefferson University and FAIMER Sign Memorandum of Understanding (FEB 22, 2008)
- Classes of 2006 and 2007 Gather at 2007 FAIMER Institute (FEB 7, 2008)
- FAIMER Collaborates with All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Others for National Conference on Medical Education (JAN 11, 2008)
- Current Issue of Education for Health Focuses on Poverty and Human Development (JAN 11, 2008)
- 2008 CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute to Begin on January 16 (JAN 11, 2008)
- First National Conference on Medical Education Held at All India Institute for Medical Sciences, Delhi, India (JAN 11, 2008)
- Deadline for Applications to the FAIMER Institute Extended to January 18 (JAN 2, 2008)
2008 CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute
Fellows and faculty of the 2008 CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute
(click images to enlarge)
On January 16, 2008, the Christian Medical College, Ludhiana (CMCL) welcomed a new class of 16 Fellows at the CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute. Fellows learned about a variety of teaching techniques for medical education such as the one-minute preceptor (OMP) and the mini clinical examination (mini-CEX) and worked extensively with faculty advisors on their own curriculum innovation projects. After an intensive four days, they were joined by the returning class of 2007 Fellows for a two-day combined program. The two classes converged with Mentor-Learning Web assignments and celebrated their new relationships by exchanging co-mentoring bracelets. The 2008 class presented their project plans followed by the 2007 group’s poster presentations on their completed projects. When the 2008 Fellows returned to their home institutions to begin implementing their projects, the 2007 class remained for an additional two-day program to further their knowledge and skills in research, scholarship, and sustaining change.
The hard work of participants was interspersed with a varied program of social and recreational activities. Highlights included a bonfire dinner with traditional dancers in glorious costumes providing entertainment, a day trip to the Golden Temple of Amritsar, and the sunset ceremony at the Indian-Pakistani border. Fellows and faculty alike will have wonderful memories of these experiences.
Director Dr. Tejinder Singh was ably assisted in the organization and presentation of the institute by a talented team of local faculty at CMCL, including Drs. Dinesh Badyal, Jugesh Chhatwal, Harpreet Kapoor, Gagandeep Kwatra, and Sheena Singh. They were joined by a number of visiting Indian and international faculty, as well as a guest observer from Bangladesh, Dr. Anwarul Azim of the Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College in Dhaka.
The following is a list of participating 2008 Fellows:
Sheikh Sajjad Ahmed, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, India
Sukhlecha Anupam, M.P. Shah Medical College, India
Sattar M. Bhatti, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India
Anurag Chaudhary, Dayanand Medical College, India
Kalyan Goswami, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, India
Maya Arun Jamkar, B.J. Medical College, Pune, India
Navneet Kaur, University College of Medical Sciences, India
Manjit Mohi, Government Medical College, Patiala, India
Syed Ziaur Rahman, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh, India
Praveen R. Singh, Pramukhswami Medical College, India
Suman P. Singh, Pramukhswami Medical College, India
A.M. Siraj, Melaka Manipal Medical College, India
S. Sitalakshmi, St. John’s Medical College, India
Bharathi Subramaniam, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, India
Gadicherla Suman, M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, India
Bharti Uppal, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India
FAIMER Regional Institute Applications
Applications for the FAIMER Regional Institutes are available on the FAIMER website. Interested applicants may apply for any of the Regional Institutes during their respective open application periods. The on-line application for the CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute will be available from June 15 to October 15, 2008. This on-line application process assigns applicants a user ID, enabling them to save and return to a partially completed application; check the status of a submitted application; update a previous application for another submission; and perform other application management functions.
2008 Southern Africa-FAIMER Regional Institute
The newest addition to the family of FAIMER Regional Institutes, the Southern Africa-FAIMER Regional Institute (SAFRI), was launched in mid-February. SAFRI, FAIMER’s first regional initiative on the continent of Africa, is piloting a program configuration that includes three residential contact sessions over the course of the two-year fellowship. The second residential session will take place in June of this year, and the third will take place in March 2009. In addition to participants from medical schools, the inaugural SAFRI class includes representatives from schools of physiotherapy, nursing, dentistry, public health, and laboratory sciences. Two of the Fellows are from Uganda and one is from Zambia, with the rest from South Africa. The same interactive teaching methods used at other Regional Institutes were used in South Africa, with great success. Faculty at the February session of SAFRI included seven FAIMER Fellows. Five additional FAIMER Fellows will participate as faculty at the June session.
The following is a list of participating SAFRI Fellows:
Gerda Botha, University of Limpopo, South Africa
François de Villiers, University of Limpopo, South Africa
Wilma de Witt, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Christian Ezeala, Kampala International University, Uganda
Jose Frantz, University of the Western Cape, South Africa
Alwyn Louw, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Lastina Lwatula, Ministry of Health, Zambia
Samuel Maling, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda
Karien Mostert, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Gloria Mtshali, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Nirmala Naidoo, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Franciscus Peters, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Glynis Pickworth, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Saraswathi Singaram, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Anna Voce, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Firdouza Waggie, University of the Western Cape, South Africa
New AMEE Guide Series
Ronald M. Harden, M.D., General Secretary of the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE), recently announced the launch of a new AMEE Guide Series. Dr. Harden is also Editor of Medical Teacher and Director of Education for the International Virtual Medical School.
This new series currently has two publications: one on peer-assisted learning by Michael Ross and Helen Cameron (Medical Teacher, 2007, 29: 527-545) and the other on work-based assessment by John Norcini, Ph.D., President and CEO of FAIMER; and Vanessa Burch, M.B.Ch.B., M.Med., Ph.D., core faculty member of the FAIMER Institute and 2001 FAIMER Institute Fellow (Medical Teacher, 2007: 855-871). To access the new guide series, click here.
In the Spotlight: Thomas Jefferson University and FAIMER Sign Memorandum of Understanding
Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and FAIMER have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop an academic partnership. According to the Memorandum, which was signed in December 2007, the “purpose of this Affiliation is to formalize the Parties’ mutual commitment to engage in projects focused on faculty development, undergraduate, graduate and continuing medical education of physicians, research in medical education, and the creation of better systems of health care delivery and community practice.”
There are many types of collaborative activities that might evolve from this affiliation. For example, members of the Jefferson community, both faculty and students, are interested in creating more opportunities for international education and service. FAIMER Fellows can assist Jefferson in this endeavor by identifying opportunities and contacts within their home countries and serving as faculty for visiting Jefferson students. For FAIMER Fellows in many countries, one of the greatest obstacles to advancing their educational scholarship is the inability to access the health professions education literature. The opportunity for Fellows to receive faculty appointments at Jefferson would mean that they would be able to access the library resources of a first-rate U.S. health sciences university.
This exciting partnership opens up many possibilities for health professions educators both in the United States and abroad.
Classes of 2006 and 2007 Gather at 2007 FAIMER Institute
Sixteen 2007 Fellows and 14 2006 Fellows came to Philadelphia in October for the 2007 FAIMER Institute. Fellows came from 15 countries in Latin America, Africa, and South Asia, representing 25 health professions schools. Highlights of the Institute included the poster session presentations of 2006 Fellows' education innovation projects and presentations by International Medical Education Day guest speakers Ruth Levine, Ph.D., Arthur Kaufman, M.D., and Francisco Campos, M.D.
To see photos from the 2007 Institute, click here.
FAIMER Collaborates with All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Others for National Conference on Medical Education
The following is an Executive Summary of the National Conference on Medical Education authored by the conference’s organizing chairperson and 2005 FAIMER Institute Fellow Rita Sood, M.B.B.S., M.D.
The National Conference on Medical Education (NCME 2007) was held November 15-17, 2007 in New Delhi, India. Centered on the theme, “Building Capacity in Medical Education – A National Perspective,” NCME 2007 was organized by the KL Wig Centre for Medical Education and Technology (CMET) at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in collaboration with FAIMER. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, WHO India, Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Science and Technology, and the Medical Council of India also supported this event.
Rita Sood, M.B.B.S., M.D., a 2005 FAIMER Institute Fellow from New Delhi, India was the organizing chairperson for the conference. Dr. Sood is a faculty member for all three FAIMER Regional Institutes in India. She is a Professor of Medicine and Professor In-charge of CMET at AIIMS.
The purpose of NCME 2007 was to bring together key stakeholders in medical education in India to deliberate on the issue of faculty development and to chart a road map for the future. The conference was attended by about 130 medical educators from across India, including faculty members, Deans and Principals from various medical colleges in the country; Vice-chancellors of health sciences universities; representatives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Medical Council of India; and international delegates from South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Malaysia. Conference faculty included FAIMER Institute and FAIMER Regional Institute faculty members as well as other eminent national and international experts in medical education.
The conference was directed to highlight the emerging content areas and global trends in faculty development in medical education; bring out the strengths of faculty development in India; initiate the formation of a national network of medical educators to facilitate sharing of innovations in medical education; and plan the mechanics of faculty development in medical education in India.
Prior to the start of the conference, FAIMER faculty also convened four pre-conference workshops focused on: educational research and scholarship development; use of distance learning in faculty development; faculty development in performance-based assessment; and educational leadership in change management.
Deliberations of the conference consisted of panel discussions, interactive poster sessions, and small group interactive sessions on appreciative inquiry, brainstorming, affinity mapping, and multi-voting.
Throughout the conference, delegates showed very active and enthusiastic participation and sustained interest. The deliberations brought out the need to strengthen faculty development as a vehicle for promoting quality medical education in India. The following is a summary of the themes that emerged:
- Faculty development programs are essential as instruments of change for medical education and health care.
- Educational innovations and innovators need to be supported. The momentum that has developed so far needs to be sustained.
- Financial resources and institutional support are essential for faculty development.
- There is a need to develop a strategy for mandatory training of entry-level teachers in health professions education in a phased manner.
- Leadership, change management, educational research, and scholarship development should become part of faculty development programs.
- Contributions made to faculty development programs and innovation in medical education need to be recognized and rewarded.
- Aim for quality assurance and enhancement in faculty development program.
- Formation of a network of health professions educators and special interest groups who could meet on a regular basis and share innovative ideas.
The highlight of the conference was the formation of five special interest groups to take forward the ideas that emerged during the conference. As a road map for future action, the participants identified several interventions out of which the top five were prioritized. These were:
- Networking through a website
- Development of standards for medical education units
- Construction of national faculty development programs in education
- Formation of a national organization for medical educators
- Development of a national body for the accreditation of medical educators
Conference participants divided themselves into one of these five special interest groups. These groups then worked together, selected a coordinator, and developed short- and long-term plans that included objectives, activities, timelines, challenges, and opportunities. The groups continue to work together on-line and are in the process of refining their plans. To follow the progress of the working groups, visit the Google Group on Medical Education Units in India formed by meeting participants at http://groups.google.com/group/meu_india?hl=en.
Conference participants gave tremendous positive feedback and reported that they found the workshops and the format of the conference very engaging and conducive to the sharing of ideas. They appreciated the initiative of the Centre for Medical Education & Technology at AIIMS in organizing this conference and expressed the need to have such national meetings on a regular basis for meaningful interactions, sharing ideas in medical education, and updating their knowledge about developments in the field of medical education.
Dr. Sood and her team at AIIMS express their sincere thanks to FAIMER for its wholehearted support and encouragement of this National Conference on Building Capacity in Medical Education. They look forward to continued support and encouragement from FAIMER in taking forward the cause of medical education in India.
Current Issue of Education for Health Focuses on Poverty and Human Development
The current issue of The Network: TUFH journal Education for Health, Volume 20, Issue 3 (November 2007), is now available. This marks the third free on-line issue since the journal became electronic in May 2007. The current issue focuses on poverty and human development and includes an article by FAIMER staff members William P. Burdick M.D., M.S.Ed., Associate Vice President for Education and Co-Director of the FAIMER Institute; Page S. Morahan, Ph.D., Co-Director of the FAIMER Institute; and John J. Norcini, Ph.D., FAIMER President; as well as an article by 2003 FAIMER Institute Fellow Charles A. Mkony.
To view the entire issue, click here.
2008 CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute to Begin on January 16
The 2008 CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute will begin on January 16, under the direction of Tejinder Singh. The following individuals have been chosen to participate:
Sheikh Sajjad Ahmed, M.D.
Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar
India
Sukhlecha Anupam, M.D.
M.P. Shah Medical College, Jamnagar
India
Sattar M. Bhatti, M.S.
Christian Medical College, Ludhiana
India
Anurag Chaudhary, M.D.
Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana
India
Kalyan Goswami, M.D.
Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha
India
Maya Arun Jamkar, M.D.
B.J. Medial College, Pune
India
Navneet Kaur, M.S.
University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi
India
Manjit Mohi, M.D.
Government Medical College, Patiala
India
Syed Ziaur Rahman, M.D.
J.N. Medical College, Aligarh
India
Praveen R. Singh, M.D.
Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad
India
Suman P. Singh, M.D.
Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad
India
A.M. Siraj, M.D.
Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal
India
S. Sitalakshmi, M.D.
St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore
India
Bharathi Subramaniam, M.D.
Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, Gangtok
India
Gadicherla Suman, M.D.
M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore
India
Bharti Uppal, M.D.
Christian Medical College, Ludhiana
India
First National Conference on Medical Education Held at All India Institute for Medical Sciences, Delhi, India
One hundred thirty medical educators participated in the first National Conference on Medical Education, held at the All India Institute for Medical Sciences in Delhi November 15-17. The meeting, which was sponsored by FAIMER and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India, focused on faculty development. Participants included representatives of the Ministry, the Medical Council of India, several Vice Chancellors and Deans, faculty from Indian medical schools, FAIMER staff, and over fifteen FAIMER Fellows. Meeting attendees created five working groups for further development of the field of medical education in India. These groups are working on: 1) formation of a national organization of medical educators, 2) development of a national body for accreditation of medical educators, 3) creation of communication tools for educators, 4) development of standards for medical education units, and 5) construction of national faculty development programs in education. Those interested in following the progress of the working groups can visit the Google Group on Medical Education Units in India formed by meeting participants.
For more information on the first National Conference on Medical Education, see In the Spotlight.
Deadline for Applications to the FAIMER Institute Extended to January 18
The deadline for applications to the FAIMER Institute has been extended to January 18. Health professions educators from all fields, including medical, dental, nursing, physical therapy, and pharmacy schools, are encouraged to apply.