Education report by Dr Chris Stephens
Medical education at the University of Southampton has been recognised with a coveted
ASPIRE award
. Only four medical school in the world have received this honour this year – our peers are the University of Leeds, the University of New Mexico and the Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. We have been honoured for excellence in student engagement and the curriculum by AMEE (a leading international association for medical education). We will receive the ASPIRE trophy at the AMEE 2014 International Conference in Medical Education in Milan, in September before 3,500 teachers and leaders in medical education from around the world.
Each year the University recognises individual staff or teams whose teaching is inspirational, innovative or of a particularly high standard with the Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Awards, which celebrate the dedication of those nominated and encourage the sharing of excellent practice. “Teaching” refers not simply to classroom/lecture theatre/lab teaching, but any activity that has a positive impact upon the student learning experience, including postgraduate supervision.
There was an outstanding field for the single award in the Faculty of Medicine which was won by Dr Scott Border. Nominations were received for:
1. Dr Guy Roberts and the Winchester Psychiatry teaching team: amongst a range of innovative (WU-TAC) where students observe a consultation between psychiatrist and patient through a one- way mirror (the patient having met the students and given prior consent).
2. Dr Sally Curtis, who has developed and led exemplary multidisciplinary pain symposia highly rated by students, and worked alongside a local Chronic Pain Support Group to develop a pain education tool.
3. Dr Raj Patel has developed and run the Sexual Health and HIV teaching for BM4 and BM5 students, combining lectures, small group simulation workshops and clinic based teaching as well as self study materials which students review individually with a lead clinician. This mixed approach enables students to develop skills and confidence safely before undertaking clinic sessions in this sensitive speciality.
4. Dr Christopher Torrens has demonstrated exemplary commitment to BM student learning in Physiology with some imaginative and popular initiatives including a Physiology Help Desk, a Physiology rhyming twitter feed (@chris_torrens) and quizzes titled “Quizology” during lecture sessions.
5. Dr Scott Border has developed and led a team of “near peer teachers” in Anatomy and a high profile national Neuroanatomy competition. The near peer teaching has been highly evaluated by students and has enabled the student teachers, enabling to develop transferable skills including team management, scientific writing, and the use of an evidence based approach to teaching.
I know members of the Faculty panel were enormously impressed with the high quality of nominations and the range of innovative student centred initiatives that are occurring across all years of the BM programmes.
We would encourage any teachers to consider nominations for next year’s award- it's an opportunity for us to celebrate the great work you’re all doing.
