E-Learning for Clinical Teachers
Constructing local faculty development programmes
Rolling programmes of faculty development must be provided within each Trust to enable clinical and educational supervisors to meet the mandatory training requirements described above.
Faculty development though should be an iterative process, enabling clinical teachers to reflect and to receive feedback on their teaching and supervision. It is not a one-off ‘sheep dip’ exercise. Local faculty development programmes should facilitate support and development through, for example the provision of advanced programmes for experienced educators, mentoring and supervision support, and the additional content of local faculty development programmes should meet the training needs of supervisors identified through the three-yearly cycle of review.
Supervisors who wish to pursue their educational development in more depth are advised to consider enrolling on a university-accredited course such as the MA in Clinical Education at the Institute of Education (www.ioe.ac.uk) or, through short courses, reflections on work-based experience and self-directed learning, and subsequent professional accreditation through the Academy of Medical Educators (www.medicaleducators.org).
In future years, it is envisaged that the professional standards for ‘faculty’ will continue to rise to the level that exists in general practice, where potential trainers undertake a modular Postgraduate Certificate teaching programme before applying to train.
Advice on design and delivery of faculty development programmes can be obtained through the Faculty Development Unit of the London Deanery. The Faculty Development Unit also provides a suite of open-access e-learning modules supporting all aspects of the Framework.