About the Fundamentals of Health Professions
Education
Course (Fundamentals)

In 2024, IAMSE is refreshing its introductory course in educational principles, previously known as Essential Skills in Medical Education (ESME) to Fundamentals of Health Professions Education (to be known as the Fundamentals course).

With the increasing professionalization of medical education, the need for faculty in the healthcare professions to have training in educational principles is widely recognized. While many institutions worldwide offer certificate or Master’s degree courses in medical education, there is a lack of accredited basic level courses. The new Fundamentals course has been designed to meet the need for an entry level survey of principles in health professions education. Fundamentals will be of particular interest to faculty who are involved with health professions education for the first time, or who have been given some new responsibilities or assignment relating to teaching. Others will find this course useful as a refresher course or update.

IAMSE is pleased to offer the course, which will start a day before the Annual Conference, and it is designed to be specifically relevant to medical science educators.  Successful completion of the Fundamentals course is a pre-requisite for the IAMSE Fellowship program.

Fundamentals Course Schedule during the 2024 IAMSE Conference

*Schedule is subject to change

Day 1: Friday (Full-Day Workshop)

Introduction to the Course (9:00 AM - 9:30 AM CDT) 

  • Course Leaders and Admin
  • Participants
  • Goals

Module 1 Principles of Curricular Design (9:30 AM - 12:00 PM CDT)

  • Overview of Learning Theories (Cognitive Integration) 
  • Defining the ‘Curriculum’ 
  • Introduction to the Learning Environment 
  • Outcomes Based Education 
  • Breakout Activities and Reflection

Module 2 - Teaching methods (1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CDT) 

  • Active Learning/Flipped Classroom (Rationale and How To)
  • Large Group Facilitation (Team-Based Learning, Audience-Response Systems)
  • Small Group Facilitation (Group Formation, Problem-Based Learning, Case Discussions)
  • Peer Teaching/Learning
  • Independent Learning (Self-Directed vs Directed Self-Learning)
  • Lecture and Use of Video Instruction
  • Breakout Activities and Reflection

Module 3 - Assessment and Evaluation (3:15 PM - 5:00 PM CDT) 

  • Purpose of Course/Curricular Assessment
  • Frameworks for Assessment
  • Forms of Assessment 
  • Alignment (of Assessments with Desired Learning Outcomes)
  • Giving Feedback
  • Program Evaluation
  • Teaching Evaluation
  • Breakout Activities and Reflection 

Day 2: Saturday (Half-Day Workshop, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT)

Module 4: Educational Scholarship: (9:00 AM - 10:30 AM CDT) 

  • Definitions of Educational Scholarship
  • Education Research: Study Design
  • Dissemination

Module 5: Educational Leadership (10:45 AM - 12:00 PM CDT) 

  • The Teacher as a Leader 

Day 3: Sunday
Attendance at IAMSE Conference sessions, and a dedicated feedback session with course faculty.

Day 4: Monday
Attendance at IAMSE Conference sessions, and a dedicated feedback session with course faculty.

Day 5: Tuesday
Attendance at IAMSE Conference sessions, and a dedicated working lunch with course faculty to complete the course. 

Discussion of how to keep up to date, further information on how to obtain the Certificate of Completion of Fundamentals in Health Professions Education and how to proceed to the IAMSE Medical Educator Fellowship Program.

Faculty for the Fundamentals Course

Aviad Haramati Ph.D, Professor of Physiology and Medicine, and Director of the Center for Innovation and Leadership in Education (CENTILE), at Georgetown University Medical Center.
 
Amber J. Heck, PhD, Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
 
The course administrator will be announced at a later date. 

Cost of the Fundamentals Course

The $675.00 USD course includes:
  • participation in Fundamentals full-day pre-conference session on Friday and Saturday morning;
  • feedback sessions with faculty on Sunday and Monday;
  • post-conference session on Tuesday;
  • Fundamentals resource materials, including a copy of Professor Harden’s Book, Essential Skills for a Medical Teacher, in electronic format;
  • award of a Certificate of Attendance;
  • opportunity to submit short report for assessment for Certificate of Completion of the Fundamentals in Health Profession Education Course.
Participants must register for the IAMSE Conference in the regular way, and remit fees for the IAMSE Conference registration and the Fundamentals course. In addition, the course participants are encouraged to register (additional fee) and attend an IAMSE Pre-Conference Faculty Development Workshop of their choice, on Saturday afternoon.

Report leading to Certificate of Completion of the Fundamentals Course

To earn the Certificate of Completion, following completion of the Fundamentals Course, and after returning to their institutions, participants must submit a short report (8-10 pages) describing the application of the Course Principles in their own teaching practice. The report is due within six months after completion of the Fundamentals course and will be read by one of the course leaders. Once deemed acceptable, the participant will be awarded the IAMSE Certificate of Completion of the Fundamentals in Health Professions Education Course. This Certificate of Completion fulfills the pre-requisite for enrollment in the IAMSE Medical Educator Fellowship.