Faculty Development

Professional Development Framework for Supervisors

From January 2010, all educational supervisors must be selected, and demonstrate an ability to fulfil their role.

The London Deanery Professional Development Framework for Supervisors has been developed to satisfy these regulatory requirements while at the same time, recognising the wealth of educational experience and training that many supervisors already have under their belt.

The Framework defines the standards expected of supervisors in London, and the requirements on Trusts to deliver these standards.  A supervisor’s portfolio has been developed which will form the basis for accreditation and there are recommendations in relation to educational role and job planning.  The Framework can be viewed here.   For further information about implementation of the Professional Development Framework initiative please see the 'Professional Development Framework for Supervisors' section of this website.

Curriculum for clinical teachers

It is vital, both for trainees and for patients, that all those involved in postgraduate medical and dental education are appropriately trained for their role.  But what does that mean in practice?

Teaching in the clinical setting, whether in secondary or primary care, will involve certain types of educational activity.  We have identified four such areas.  Areas which inevitably overlap, and are by no means exhaustive, but that describe those educational activities in which postgraduate clinical teachers tend to be commonly engaged.  They are:

Clinical supervision

Day-to-day supervision in the clinical setting.  Clinical supervision involves being available, looking over the shoulder of the trainee, teaching on-the-job with developmental conversations, regular feedback and the provision of a rapid response to issues as they arise.   All trainees should have a named clinical supervisor for each post, who must be able to tailor the level of supervision to the competence, confidence and experience of their trainee.  Workplace-based assessment will also tend to fall to the clinical supervisor.

Educational supervision

The supervision of a trainee’s progress over time.  Educational supervisors are responsible for ensuring that trainees are making the necessary clinical and educational progress.  Educational supervisors will need all the skills of clinical supervision, plus an appreciation of supporting educational theory, the ability to undertake appraisal, work with portfolios and provide careers advice.  Managing the trainee in difficulty will also, inevitably involve the educational supervisor.

Working with groups

From the facilitation of an action learning set to the delivery of a lecture to a packed postgraduate centre, working with groups, both small and large, involves a set of skills that will be required by most clinical teachers at one time or another during their career.

Educational management and leadership

Postgraduate clinical education is a complex area, subject to rapid and often turbulent change, with those in management positions faced with the double burden of maintaining a service whilst providing a meaningful training for the next generation of clinicians.  The system requires effective management and leadership, and all those involved in its organization - from programme director to head of school, from clinical tutor to postgraduate dean - will need the management and leadership competences to keep patients safe whilst ensuring excellence in education.

The London Deanery will be structuring its programme of faculty development around these areas of educational activity and will require, in its educational agreements with Trusts that all consultant teachers are appropriately trained for their educational role. Specialty registrars too, are required by their College curricula to develop competence in these educational areas and should be encouraged to access developmental opportunities provided.

For a comprehensive curriculum for medical educators see the Academy of Medical Educators

PMETB standards for trainers

In January 2008 the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) published a 'Standards for Trainers' document which outline the requirements for faculty working in postgraduate medical education.  In an accompanying letter PMETB recognises that
 
...there will need to be a period of transition for local education providers, postgraduate deaneries, and Colleges to fully implement these standards. PMETB also recognises the diversity of settings in which specialty training takes place. For that reason, PMETB will not expect demonstration of full compliance with the standards for trainers until January 2010. However PMETB will expect that deaneries must consider and then clearly articulate how they are going to achieve this compliance over the next two years, working with and through local education providers and medical Royal Colleges....All PMETB quality assurance activity after January 2010 will seek confirmation that the standards for trainers are fully met.
 

The PMETB Standards for Trainers can be viewed here PMETB standards.