UCL MEDICAL SCHOOL

Teaching Improvement Project System (TIPS) in Libya

Between 2005 and 2010, a team of staff developers worked closely with the College of Medical Specialties in Tripoli and Ben Ghazi in Libya to train a new generation of medical educators. Senior educators from across Libya took part in a two day experiential TIPS course in clinical education skills and a one day course in contemporary assessment. The visiting team ensured a cohort of participants from each course were given extra support to become co-facilitators on subsequent courses, ensuring change was embedded and could be locally delivered and supported.

Testimonial
“Many thanks to you and the team for your help with this course. The feedback from the participants was very positive and encouraging. We felt this group were high-quality participants and each group appears to be getting a better understanding the concepts and ideas that inform this course.”
Libyan Board of Medical Specialties

Development (CPD) / distance learning

We share UCL expertise through the provision of online CPD courses. A technical platform is being developed that will be used to deliver this programme to practising professionals in life and medical sciences throughout the world.

Fred Hollows Foundation and Chalker Foundation for Africa

In 2011-2012, faculty members worked in partnership with the Fred Hollows Foundation and Chalker Foundation for Africa to develop a multimedia package in practical ophthalmology for health workers in sub-Saharan Africa. The brief covered all stages of the project - from initial consultation with learners and educators, educational design, gathering clinical videos, production and evaluation.

Roberts Fund programme for education research

In 2008, UCLMS faculty ran a successful course over four half days to support postgraduate students from across UCL, who were planning or conducting research in the education domain. This course covered the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of conducting research in the education field, searching for and utilising the evidence and setting up research projects in education.

General Medical Council

Since 1997, UCLMS faculty have provided consultancy for the GMC in the design, delivery and implementation of the Tests of Competence for doctors who have been referred with clinical performance problems. This includes inviting volunteers to participate in pilot tests by becoming a trained assessor and a pilot candidate. We provide the facilities and expertise to “test the test.”

London Deanery

Doctors in difficulty because of perceived problems with their communication skills are referred by the London Deanery and invited to participate in this training. Both the doctors themselves and the Deanery feel they have benefited from this intensive one-to-one support provided by our experts in communication skills.

UCLMS faculty work with the Federation of UK Medical Royal Colleges in leading the design and delivery of all parts of the MRCP(UK) examination. We also provide advice on its evaluation and research programme. This includes the written components of the test, Part 1, Part 2 and the new Specialty Specific Examinations (SCE); and the PACES examination. Both the written and clinical components of this assessment are extremely well-respected internationally and are delivered in nine countries apart from the UK. This year, new international examination centres are being opened in Kolkata, India and Khartoum, Sudan.

We are also working with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in a review of their examination, which is taking place over the summer of 2012.

UCLMS faculty are currently providing expertise to the GMC in the review of the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) examination. This is the test of competence for overseas graduates from outside the European Economic Area, who wish to work as doctors in the UK.

The London Deanery commissions a number of courses each year in both education supervision and supporting trainees in difficulty. Delivered at our excellent training centre, these short courses ensure consistent high quality training for new and established education supervisors.

We also provide consultancy for the Institute of Education’s Masters in Clinical Education programme, and teach and assess the Contemporary Issues in Clinical Education and Learning and Teaching for Adults modules