Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education

Who is the course designed for?

The Postgraduate Certificate is aimed at doctors and other professionals allied to medicine who have a teaching role and/or a role in training and appraising healthcare professionals. This includes doctors working in: primary care; secondary care at all levels from foundation year 2 to consultant grades; and other professionals allied to medicine that have a role in teaching both undergraduates and postgraduates. Hear what our current students have to say.

Applicants may wish to continue onto the linked Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Education which provides a further 60 credits at FHEQ Level 7.

Aims of the programme

The programme is designed to provide practical solutions to teaching undergraduates or postgraduates as individuals, small groups and larger groups. It will look at the theory behind teaching in medical settings and how these apply in real life situations. It is also designed to provide help in developing skills in giving feedback, appraisal and assessment. Where possible the teaching will be adaptable so that it can help specific groups of teachers in their particular environment.

The programme is designed to meet recommendations of the GMC and Academy of Medical Educators, and aims to contribute to continuing professional development of doctors and allied professionals in an integrated clinical and teaching environment to stimulate more inter-professional education; and to develop a cohort of professionals who will pursue and develop their roles as teachers in the field of medical education. Students successfully completing the programme will have gained skills and knowledge to:

• Ensure safe and effective patient care through training
• Establish and maintain an environment for learning
• Teach and assess learning and apply core theoretical principles to their own educational contexts
• Support and monitor educational progress
• Guide personal and professional development

Upon successful completion of the programme you may apply for membership of the Academy of Medical Educators (AoME); you may also apply for Fellowship status of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).

Teaching and learning

Course structure and content

The Postgraduate Certificate comprises three modules providing a total of approximately 90 contact hours with additional between-module reflection, study and assignment work. The three modules are:

Core skills in medical education

• 12 October 2018
• 13 October 2018
• 16 November 2018
• 7 December 2018

Applying teaching skills

• 18 January 2019
• 1 March 2019
• 5 April 2019

The role of assessment

• 3 May 2019
• 7 June 2019

The postgraduate certificate is not a distance learning course and attendance in Cambridge for the teaching sessions is compulsory. It is therefore essential that all applicants are available to attend all the teaching events.

All teaching will take place at Madingley Hall from 9am to 6pm and accommodation can be booked subject to availability.

A virtual learning environment will support students’ learning throughout the programme.

Entry requirements

If you wish to apply to join the programme you must:

• Hold a qualification in one of the healthcare professions or another relevant qualification
• Be a post-foundation-year doctor in primary, secondary or tertiary care or a professional allied to medicine who is involved in teaching students at undergraduate or postgraduate levels or who has a role in training and appraising healthcare professionals
• Have had at least one year of experience as a teacher prior to starting the programme
• Be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language; students whose first language is not English must be able to satisfy the requirements below

Language requirements

• IELTS Academic: Overall band score of 7.5 (with a minimum of 7.0 in each individual component)
• CAE: Grade A
• CPE: Grade A, B or C

Fees and funding

The fee for 2018 will be £3,950 per annum.

Students will be expected to cover the application fee (£50 online) and any costs of travel, accommodation and subsistence incurred during teaching sessions in Cambridge.

Bursaries may be available for qualifications in medical education, some deaneries, for example the Health Education East of England, may offer bursaries for qualifications in medical education, and enquiries should be directed to the relevant Postgraduate Centre in your region. It is also worth investigating what funding is available from your employer if you teach regularly.

How to apply

Applications will be accepted until 30 May 2018. Please see APPLY NOW button above and follow the instructions carefully.

The programme is likely to be oversubscribed with suitably qualified applicants and, within a context of a balanced cohort, preference will be given to those who meet the academic criteria and those able to demonstrate a clear commitment to the programme of study. Candidates must be available to attend all of the teaching sessions and meet assessment deadlines. All eligible candidates will be considered for interview and provisional dates are 15 and 22 June 2018. Candidates will be informed of final decisions towards the end of August.

Graduate work in Cambridge is intense and very intellectually demanding and so the University has high academic entry requirements. You are normally expected to hold:

• At least a 2i honours degree from a UK university or an equivalent standard from an overseas university; and
• Completion of, or release from, any current training or education course.

Enquiries

If you have any academic questions, please contact Dr Jeremy Webb: jw349@medschl.cam.ac.uk.

If you have any questions about the application process, contact our Admissions team: pgadmissions@ice.cam.ac.uk

For all other enquiries, please contact the Academic Programme Manager, Sue Brignell: sab67@cam.ac.uk