Academy of Medical Educators

Medical education

Medical education is a field of practice based on the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for the effective teaching and training of medical, veterinary and dental students and of doctors, vets and dentists. It encompasses all stages of education from undergraduate medical, veterinary and dental education through postgraduate education to continuing professional development.

Benefit to the public

The work of medical educators directly contributes to the improvement of health care, the relief of sickness and the preservation of good health. Quite simply, the more effectively medical educators are able to impart the required skills and knowledge to students, doctors, vets and dentists, the more safe, able and competent those people will be when putting those skills into practice.

Professional Standards

The Academy's Professional Standards serve as a guide to curriculum development and provide a recognised framework so that those in education can demonstrate expertise and achievements in medical education through accreditation as a medical teacher to an agreed national standard.

Masterclasses

The Academy runs a series of Masterclasses, one-day meetings concentrating on specific issues in educational development, presented by contributors of international standing and including short papers and contributions by participants.

Early Careers

The Academy's Early Careers Working Group is active in addressing the concerns and issues affecting those starting on, or early in, their careers as medical educators. The Group has a programme which is investigating mentoring support schemes and the provision of career case studies. A project is ongoing looking at challenges and supportive systems to medical education career progression, in line with the Professional Standards, to develop effective policy for dissemination through the Academy.

The Academy's aims

The Academy's aims are to maintain and promulgate the Professional Standards for all those engaged in the teaching of students and practitioners in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, and to work to have its Professional Standards accepted and adopted nationally by the medical education community and within the formal educational and training curricular and qualification frameworks.

Membership

Membership is appropriate for those who have committed a significant amount of their time, energy, and professional development to medical education and can demonstrate that this has become an important component of their career. Many will have completed Certificate, Diploma or Masters work in Medical Education, although this is not a requirement.

International recognition

Members and Fellows are identified by the internationally recognised professional designations of MAcadMEd (Member of the Academy of Medical Educators) and FAcadMEd (Fellow of the Academy of Medical Educators) signifying that they have successfully met appropriate professional standards for medical education practice and are committed to continuing professional development.