A stethoscope and a laptop)

Essential Skills in Health Professions Education

Continuous Professional Development Support Scheme

Summary

Essential Skills in Health Professions Education is a short, self-directed course that is designed to introduce new educators to key learning and teaching approaches in the RCSI context. The course includes mini-modules on large group teaching, small group teaching, bedside teaching, simulation-based learning, and Universal Design for Learning. Each mini module includes video content, curated reading lists and interactive activities.

The course serves as a taster to the following courses which the learner can choose to pursue for further development:

  • 3-Day RCSI CPD Certificate in Teaching and Assessing in Clinical Practice, 18 CPD Credits
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Health Professions Education (NFQ Level 9) which is offered through RCSI’s Health Professions Education Centre.

 

Learning outcomes

LO1. Large group teaching

  • Discuss the evidence base underlying the use of large group teaching
  • Recognise the potential advantages and disadvantages of large group teaching
  • Identify active learning strategies that you can use in your large group teaching

LO2. Small group teaching

  • Describe what is meant by small group teaching (SGT) and the different types that exist
  • Critically analyse how educational theory relates to SGT
  • Identify the benefits of SGT in health professions education

LO3. Bedside teaching

  • Discuss how to plan for bedside teaching
  • Describe evidence-based clinical teaching methods
  • Describe how to give feedback in the clinical setting

LO4. Simulation-based learning

  • Describe the different type of simulation teaching methods that are available at RCSI
  • Discuss evidence-based approaches to simulation teaching
  • Explain the key skills involved in pre-briefing, running a simulation and de-briefing

LO5. Universal design for learning

  • Identify the core principles of UDL
  • Analyse your own teaching with respect to UDL principles
  • Offer examples of practical ways of incorporating UDL into your teaching