I’ve been asked by a few about how to get involved with #MedEd as #medicalstudent/ #doctor. It can seem really daunting at first!

- Where should you start?
- Does it have to be formal?
- Should I be doing this all for my CV?

I’ll try to explain in this TWEETORIAL!

1st, it’s important to be clear on the difference between #teaching & #MedEd scholarship.

When we say ‘teaching’ we often mean the practice of classroom/workplace education delivery. Can be informal & ad-hoc, or as part of a set university programme.

Broadly, “scholarship” here relates to educational research or academic inquiry. So the study of #MedEd.

Do you have to choose? Well, in an ideal world, your practice should be informed by scholarship - this is a continuous, evolving process. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/0142159X.2014.916791?journalCode=imte20

I promised a pragmatic guide, but bear this scholarly approach in mind as we go through the different options available to you.

Let’s talk about the formal routes first. #meded

As a doctor, your best bet is to contact your local medical school. Suss out who the programme leads are related to your specialty. Consider ‘generic’ modules, including communications or preparation for practice. These are essential & lots of room for creativity!

If you don’t ask, you don’t get. So:
- ask students about their study guides/learning outcomes to guide your practice
- ask consultants if they need help with specific sessions
- ask module leads if there is a ‘keen teacher’ list you can sign up to

As a student, formal options may be more limited. You’ve got:
- #MedEd SSCs/electives
- Formal near-peer #medschool teaching
- Programmes for mentoring school students etc
- #MedEd intercalated degrees

More suggestions welcome!

Remember what I said about #scholarship? There are several ways to further a scholarly approach to your formal education practice. These include:

- Postgrad courses (PGCert/Dip/Masters)
- Practitioner Inquiry supported by reading #MedEd journals

Let’s discuss each...

Calling in help from @ClinEdResearch here - they have some ace resources.

Here is a list of #MedEd courses: https://research.ncl.ac.uk/clinical-education-research-incubator/resources/postgraduatecoursesinclinicaleducation/

Note: these can be #spenny so think about asking your trust or @NHS_HealthEdEng to support you. Clinical teaching fellow roles often include these

Keeping up to date with #MedEd as a science (it is a science!) is essential throughout all of this. Thankfully, there are journals to help. @ClinEdResearch coming in clutch here again to summarise them:

https://research.ncl.ac.uk/clinical-education-research-incubator/resources/journals/

I’m biased, but I recommend @ClinicalTeacher (particularly if you’re getting started) & @MedEd_Journal if you’re into the theory.

For my #dermtwitter pals out there, @ced_wiley are focusing on providing #dermatology MedEd research!

If you want one place to go for learning about #MedEd, ‘Understanding Medical Education’ is your best bet. Again, I have COI but I use this for my Masters & would be lost without it

https://www.wiley.com/en-gb/Understanding+Medical+Education%3A+Evidence%2C+Theory%2C+and+Practice%2C+3rd+Edition-p-9781119373834

Ok let’s turn to ‘informal’ routes. What if you want to be more flexible, or get involved with #MedEd in your own time? Or outside of workplace teaching delivery?

Don’t worry, I got you

So firstly, you don’t need to do this on your own. One of the best things about #MedEd is the #community. There are lots of organisations who can help support your interests. I’ll go through some of the headliners.

1st (of course) is @asmeofficial - at ASME we have a huge network of diverse interests. We look at #MedEd scholarship but also support educator development. There are groups in mindfulness, psychometrics & more. There’s also @jasme_uk & @tasme_uk https://www.asme.org.uk/committees-and-groups.html

Joining ASME means you get access to these communities of shared interest, as well as the lowdown on development sessions, events & resources. Loads of awards too if you’re after recognition/CV points

https://www.asme.org.uk/awards#sort=position&sortdir=desc

However, there are *loads* more groups to consider. @MedicalEducator focuses on accreditation - if you regularly teach, you should be recognised for that. AoME support you through this process... & letters after your name ain’t half bad

This is a really useful point to remember - recognition for your work matters. @AdvanceHE also offer accreditation... you could become an Associate Fellow in #MedEd & work your way up from there! https://www.advance-he.ac.uk 

If you like huge #MedEd get togethers, @AMEE_Online run a great conference every summer - it’s online this year & might give you some inspiration on how others are getting involved with teaching https://amee.org/conferences 

If you’re considering becoming an #educational #leader (go you!) then check out @NACTUK for sharing of #MedEd advice and practice. It’s a very supportive group!

http://www.nact.org.uk 

Are you part of a #MedEd organisation that supports new #educators? Share your experiences & happy to plug to interested educators!

Finally, worth discussing the elephant in the room. What about *private* #MedEd? There are a host of independent organisations who have grown over the last few years.
Despite the debate over #costoftraining, there are lots of great groups you should look into.

Our friends over at @HLA_int have done some brilliant #MedEd work supporting keen medical students & allied health professionals - do check them out as their events are fantastic & very supportive for new #educators https://www.thehealthcareleadership.academy 

I’m a huge fan of how @MedAllApp inspires us with their charitable activity & supportive efforts for early career educators - have a look at their portfolio here: https://medall.org  #MedEd

You don’t have to be an entrepreneur to do #MedEd. Having explored this world with @MedisenseMedEd, it is a fascinating, enriching but challenging environment that *isn’t* for everyone.

There’s a debate about how #MedEd is becoming an industry, but that’s another thread...

Finally... why should you do #MedEd? Only you can answer this. Do you need the CV points?

Here’s the lowdown on whether teaching will help with application scoring, with #medicine as an example...

https://www.st3recruitment.org.uk/recruitment-process/applying/application-scoring

Do you want to be more creative? Medical training, with all its stress, can stifle creativity. Doing a year as a clinical teaching fellow can give you room to breathe & do something different. It’s a growing area to look into after F2.

https://www.mededpublish.org/manuscripts/2039

Take-home points for #MedEd involvement:

- Ask for opportunities ( #SoMe is great for this)
- Apply a scholarly approach
- Join a community ‘bigger than yourself’
- Invest in yourself, looking out for bursaries etc
- Inspire the next generation of #MedEd

End/

If you’re a medical student who uses #SoMe at all... pls do my Masters survey! https://twitter.com/jonnygucks/status/1384150286885822497