Essential Skills in Medical Education (ESME) Courses at 13th APMEC

With the increasing professionalisation of medical education, the need for doctors and other healthcare professionals to have training in teaching is widely recognized. Whilst many institutions worldwide offer Diploma and Masters courses in medical education, there is a lack of accredited basic level courses. The ESME Programme has been designed to meet the need for an entry level teaching qualification and will be of particular interest to teachers who are engaging with medical education for the first time. It will also be valuable for more experienced teachers who have been given some new responsibilities or assignment relating to teaching or assessment, or who wish to have an introduction to the theory underpinning the practice of teaching. It has been designed in the context that all doctors in any branch of medicine or field of practice are likely to have some teaching responsibilities for undergraduates, postgraduates, peers, other healthcare workers or patients. ESME’s novel course structure combines a purpose-built course on teaching with an international medical education Conference.

ESME is accredited by AMEE and approved by an international Advisory Board.

Since the introduction of the original ESME course in 2005, several other courses have been developed to meet specific needs:

Essential Skills in Medical Education Assessment (ESMEA)
Research Essential Skills in Medical Education (RESME)
Essential Skills in Medical Education Simulation (ESMESim)
Essential Skills in Computer-Enhanced Learning (ESCEL)
Essential Skills in Continuing Education and Professional Development (ESCEPD)
Essential Skills in Medical Education Online (ESME Online)
Essential Skills in Medical Education Leadership Online (ESME Leadership Online)

ESME at 13th APMEC

Two ESME Courses are offered at this Conference: (1) the original Essential Skills in Medical Education and (2) Research Essential Skills in Medical Education. Please note: it is not possible to attend more than one course at APMEC due to timing conflicts.

1. Essential Skills in Medical Education

This broad-based course has been designed around a set of competencies that all practising teachers should possess. These include: Effective Teaching, Skilled Educational Planning and Informed Assessment and Evaluation.

ESME Course schedule

Wednesday 13 January 0830-1700 - ESME Pre-conference Session:

The Skilled Educational Planner: specifying and using learning outcomes and how the learning can be organised in a curriculum;
The Effective Teacher: including some helpful basic principles relating to large and small group teaching; independent learning; the new learning technologies;

Thursday 14 January: Attend other Pre-conference Workshops (cost not included)
Friday 15 January: Attend 13th APMEC Conference; lunch meeting with ESME Facilitators
Saturday 16 January: Attend 13th APMEC Conference; lunch meeting with ESME Facilitators

Sunday 17 January 0900-1230 - ESME Post-conference Session:

The Informed Assessor/Evaluator: the key assessment principles and the tools available to the teacher;
The Scholarly Educator, including Professionalism in medical education; Roles of the teacher; Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME);
A look at the requirements for completion of the ESME Certificate in Medical Education.

ESME Course Faculty

Course Director: Professor Ronald Harden, formerly Director of the Centre for Medical Education, University of Dundee, UK, and currently General Secretary/Treasurer of AMEE and Editor of Medical Teacher;
Faculty members:
Professor Matthew C. E. Gwee, Professorial Fellow and Chairman, International & Education Programmes, Centre for Medical Education, Dean's Office, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
National University of Singapore
Dr Dujeepa Samarasekera, Director, Centre for Medical Education, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System
Professor Tan Chay Hoon, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Member, Centre for Medical Education, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore & Consultant Psychiatrist, National University Hospital, National University Health System
Associate Professor Zubair Amin, Member, Centre for Medical Education, Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore & Consultant Neonatologist, National University Hospital

ESME Course Fee: US$ 575

Included in the course fee is:

One full-day pre-conference session
Two lunchtime discussion sessions with faculty during APMEC
One half-day post-conference session
Printed course programme
Set of resource materials provided on USB memory stick
Certificate of participation
Optional submission and assessment of a post-course report, details of which will be given during the Course
Award of ESME Certificate in Medical Education if the post-course report is assessed as meeting the requirements of the Certificate.

Please note: In addition to the ESME course fee, participants are required to register for 13th APMEC and pay the registration fee, and pay to attend one or two pre-conference workshops of their choice.

2. Research Essential Skills in Medical Education (RESME)

The RESME Course provides an introduction to the essential principles and methods of conducting research in medical education: formulating research questions, choosing a research approach, selecting an appropriate global methodology and constructing a research plan. Through a series of short presentations and small group work, this highly interactive course will introduce basic concepts and principles using a variety of examples relating to theory. After completing the course, participants will have acquired a framework for understanding and application of essential concepts and principles for research in medical education. Within six months of completion of the course, participants may choose to submit a short research proposal on a topic of their interest describing the application of concepts and principles covered in the course, leading to award of the RESME Certificate in Medical Education.

RESME Course Schedule

Wednesday 13 January: Attend other Pre-conference Workshops (cost not included)
Thursday 14 January 0830-1700: RESME Pre-conference Session
Friday 15 January: Attend 13th APMEC Conference; lunch meeting with RESME Facilitators
Saturday 16 January: Attend 13th APMEC Conference; lunch meeting with RESME Facilitators; In-conference workshop

RESME Course Faculty

Charlotte Ringsted (Aarhus University, Denmark) (Course Leader)
Albert Scherpbier (Maastricht University, Netherlands)
Elise Paradis (University of Toronto, Canada)

RESME Course Fee: US$ 575

Included in the course fee is:

One full-day pre-conference session
Two lunchtime discussion sessions with faculty during APMEC
One in-conference workshop
Printed course programme
Set of resource materials
Certificate of participation
Optional submission and assessment of a post-course report, details of which will be given during the Course
Award of RESME Certificate in Medical Education if the post-course report is assessed as meeting the requirements of the Certificate.

Please note: In addition to the RESME course fee, participants are required to register for 13th APMEC and pay the registration fee, and pay to attend one or two pre-conference workshops of their choice.

How to register for ESME or RESME

Participants should register for either ESME or RESME by selecting the appropriate option on the 13th APMEC registration form. It is not possible to attend more than one course due to scheduling conflicts.

Questions about the Courses

For queries specifically about ESME or RESME course content please contact AMEE:

AMEE, 12 Airlie Place, Dundee DD1 4HJ, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1382 381953; Fax: +44 (0)1382 381987; www.amee.org Email: