Expertise, needs and challenges of medical educators: Results of an international web survey

Sören Huwendiek University Children's Hospital Heidelberg, Germany; SÖREN HUWENDIEK, MD, MME (Univ. Bern,) is a paediatrician, one of the curriculum co-ordinators, chairman of the centre for virtual patients and e-learning commissioner at Heidelberg Medical Faculty. His fields of interest are virtual patients, problem-based learning and communication-skills training. He is the winner of the AMEE Miriam Friedman Ben-David New Educator Award 2009.Correspondence[email protected]

Stewart Mennin University of New Mexico School of Medicine, USA; STEWART MENNIN, PhD, is a former assistant dean for Educational Development and Research and professor emeritus, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. His interests relate to how concepts of complexity and complex adaptive systems can be applied to health profession education.

Peter Dern University Freiburg, Germany; PETER DERN, MD, MME (Univ. Bern,) works as a specialist at the Urology Department of the University Hospital of the Albert-Ludwig's University of Freiburg. Besides general urology, he is especially involved in paediatric and reconstructive urology. He is an instructor in the faculty-development programme of the dean's office, teaches undergraduate students and is involved in curriculum development.

Miriam Friedman Ben-David Centre for Medical Education, UK; Tel Aviv University Sackler School of Medicine, Israel; MIRIAM FRIEDMAN BEN-DAVID was a professor of Medical Education, formerly Co-Director of the Clinical Skills Certification Programme at the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and associate dean at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Her main areas of interest were physician and student assessment, programme evaluation and development of leadership in the medical profession.

Cees Van Der Vleuten Maastricht University, The Netherlands; CEES VAN DER VLEUTEN, PhD, is the chairman of the Department of Educational Development and Research and Scientific Director of the School of Health Professions Education at Maastricht University, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences.

Burkhard Tönshoff University Children's Hospital Heidelberg, Germany; BURKHARD TÖNSHOFF, MD, PhD, is professor of Paediatrics and Paediatric Nephrology at the University Children's Hospital Heidelberg, Germany. He currently holds the position of a vice chairman of the Department of Paediatrics I (General Paediatrics, Metabolism, Gastroenterology and Nephrology) and is the director of the paediatric renal transplantation programme.

Christoph Nikendei University of Heidelberg Medical Hospital, Germany; CHRISTOPH NIKENDEI, MD, MME, works at the University of Heidelberg Medical Hospital and is responsible for the longitudinal skills lab curriculum at the Medical Faculty and the skills lab training and education of final year students at the Medical Hospital. Christoph Nikendei is the winner of the AMEE Miriam Friedman Ben-David New Educator Award 2008.

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Abstract

Background: Little is known about how medical educators perceive their own expertise, needs and challenges in relation to medical education.

Aim: To survey an international community of medical educators with a focus on: (1) their expertise, (2) their need for training and (3) perceived challenges.

Methods: A web-based survey comprising closed and open free-text questions was sent to 2200 persons on the mailing list of the Association for Medical Education in Europe.

Results: Of the 2200 medical educators invited to participate, 860 (39%) from 76 different countries took part in the survey. In general, their reported areas of expertise mainly comprised principles of teaching, communication skills training, stimulation of students in self-directed learning and student assessment. Respondents most often indicated a need for training with respect to development in medical-education-research methodology, computer-based training, curriculum evaluation and curriculum development. In the qualitative analysis of 1836 free-text responses concerning the main challenges faced, respondents referred to a lack of academic recognition, funding, faculty development, time for medical education issues and institutional support.

Conclusions: The results of this survey indicate that medical educators face several challenges, with a particular need for more academic recognition, funding and academic qualifications in medical education.

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