The role of simulation in medical education will be the focus of the 2018 Ed-i-Med Symposium which takes place at RCSI this week. RCSI Ed-i-Med is an international medicine and health professions education symposium, taking place tomorrow (Tuesday, 19 June) as part of the week-long RCSI annual International Education Forum.

The International Education Forum brings together more than 200 staff from RCSI Dublin and international campuses/partnerships in RCSI Bahrain, PU-RCSI (Malaysia) and Penang Medical College in Malaysia. Since its inception in 2012, the International Education Forum has become an integral component of RCSI’s curriculum and assessment development, providing an opportunity for Faculty to discuss innovations and challenges, driving improvements in education across RCSI.

This year’s Ed-i-Med Symposium 'Healthcare Education and Research through Simulation' will see international guest speakers share their experiences and perspectives on patient simulation and experiential learning, the importance of quality assurance and standards, the application of human factors and the future of healthcare delivery systems and facilities. A range of interactive workshops will be take place together with a demonstration of the latest virtual reality technology.

Speaking ahead of the Ed-i-Med Symposium Professor Hannah McGee, Dean, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, RCSI said: “I am delighted to welcome so many RCSI colleagues to our St Stephen’s Green campus this week. The International Education Forum provides a great opportunity for our global healthcare education teams across all disciplines to gather, reflect and focus on transforming our educational programmes.

“A major focus of this year’s Forum is on the role of simulation in healthcare education. The opening of 26 York Street, Europe’s largest clinical simulation suite, has positioned RCSI at the forefront of advances in the delivery of healthcare education globally. Simulation allows for safe experiential learning which is vital in preparing graduates to work in a complex, ever-changing healthcare environment. This symposium will provide us with the opportunity to reflect on the value of simulation in healthcare education, ensuring that we are capitalising on these facilities in providing the highest quality education for our students,” added Professor McGee.

Guest speakers at the symposium are Professor Michael Good, Dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine; Dr Helen Higham, Consultant Anesthetist at the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; and Professor William C. McGaghie, Professor of Medical Education and Professor of Preventive Medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

Professor McGee said: “This week will also provide RCSI Faculty with the opportunity to discuss the transformation of our education which is underway across RCSI’s education programmes. We are transforming the design and delivery of our courses and support systems so that our graduates are equipped with the knowledge, skills, experience and attitudes that will enable them to thrive personally and to contribute meaningfully to healthcare and society in the communities and countries where they chose to practice.”

Monday’s programme will focus on curriculum change within RCSI’s School of Medicine. Wednesday will feature a faculty-wide discussion on transforming healthcare education, exploring the inculcation of professionalism, resilience and leadership across RCSI’s curricula. This session will include an address on ‘Contemporary Learning Environments’ from Dr Jonas Nordquist, Associate Director for Residency Programmes at the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden.

The programme concludes on Friday with a workshop on BEME (Best Evidence in Medical Education) which will give participants an overview of how to conduct a BEME review and how to develop a review idea into a protocol.