Queen's University Belfast

Clinical Education

Overview
The Clinical Education programmes are designed for Dental and Medical practitioners who want to improve their teaching skills.

Entry to the Clinical Education Programmes is at PG Certificate level. On successful completion of the PG Certificate students may decide to progress to the PG Diploma. On successful completion of the PG Diploma students may decide to progress to the MSc.

This programme is delivered in two centres:
 QUB (2 intakes per year in September/February)
 Altnagelvin Area Hospital (1 intake in February).

Dentists can apply to either centre

The programme offers participants an opportunity to develop practical teaching skills and acquire the knowledge to underpin their educational practice with Masters level study. The programme will offer you opportunities to review your teaching techniques and includes practical teaching projects.

Whilst you will follow a common menu of face-to-face modules, each module will allow you an opportunity to consider application and implementation to your own teaching practice. Course assignments relate to participants individual practice and work setting. Participants are able to influence their learning by selecting from a range of contemporary issues that are aligned with individual needs or interests.

The course team has experience in Medical and Healthcare Education. Teaching sessions are delivered by Queen's staff in association with colleagues from the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA).

Clinical Education highlights
1. There has been a Medical School at Queen's University Belfast since 1849.

2. This very successful Clinical Education Programme has been delivered at QUB since 1996.

Career Development
•The clinical education programme will provide graduates with an opportunity to meet the requirements of Dentists and Doctors interested in providing educational support for undergraduate and postgraduate trainees. It will also provide students with the opportunity to promote and foster the skills required to facilitate effective on-the-job learning, to mentor and support learners, to undertake appraisal, and to deliver assessments in the workplace and in simulated environments.

Learning and Teaching
At Queen's we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable student to achieve their full academic potential.

On this course we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them to deliver effective teaching and assessment programmes for undergraduate students and postgraduate trainees.

Classes are in the evening. A combination of lectures, practical experiences and self-directed study are used to deliver the programme.

Entry requirements

Entrance requirements
Graduate
Applicants for the programme will be required to hold a medical or dental degree. At the time of enrolment applicants must have completed Foundation 2 training or equivalent and must currently be employed in a health care setting or university.

Applicants must apply for admission to the PG Certificate in Clinical Education initially. On satisfactory completion of the Certificate programme, applicants will then be eligible to progress to the PG Diploma. On satisfactory completion of the Diploma programme, applicants will then be eligible to progress to the Masters in Clinical Education.

International Students
For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements
Satisfactory completion of the General Medical Council's Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) examination or the General Dental Council's equivalent (Overseas Registration Exam) or a minimum IELTS* score of 7.0 with not less than 6.5 in each component. *Taken within the last 2 years

International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
•Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
•Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

Duration

1 year part-time.

Careers or further progression

Career Prospects
Introduction
This programme prepares graduates to deliver education and training for dental and medical students and postgraduate trainees. Programme content is aligned to the criteria identified by NIMDTA and QUB for Recognition of Trainers.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/

Employment after the Course
Graduates from the programme have advanced to leadership positions in undergraduate and postgraduate dental and medical education.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/careers/

Further enquiries

Postgraduate and Professional Development 
SMDB
Email: pgoffice.smdb@qub.ac.uk

Subjects taught

Year 1 – Postgraduate Certificate (60 CATS)
Module 1 : Foundations of Clinical Teaching (30 CATS)
This module provides core training in the theoretical and practical considerations required to plan and deliver effective teaching events. The range of teaching methods used in the clinical environment will be explored. Students will learn about effective strategies for the planning and delivery of teaching in the hospital ward, outpatient clinical or GP surgery.

Module 2 - Supporting and Assessing Students and Trainees (30 CATS)
This module provides core training in the theoretical and practical considerations underpinning assessment in the simulated clinical environment and in the workplace. The module will also focus on the educational issues underpinning appraisal, support and feedback.