Medical Education

Fellowship Information

Program Summary

Talent without teaching is only potential (anonymous)

The McGill University Medical Education Fellowship in Emergency Medicine (EM) is designed to prepare future EM faculty to become clinician educators and maximize the potential of their learners. This one-year fellowship provides supervised teaching experiences combined with a monthly core curriculum, a focused area of scholarship and clinical medicine. It is designed to complement, but not replace, a Master’s in Health Professions Education (MHPE) by providing practical experience in clinical teaching, simulation, and curriculum design. Concurrent enrollment or completion of a MHPE program is encouraged but not required.

Fellowship Program Director & Supervisor

Dr. Robert Primavesi
Associate Chair Education
Department of Emergency Medicine, McGill University
robert.primavesi [at] mcgill.ca

Goals & Objectives

By the end of this fellowship, the fellow will be able to:

• Employ educational theories and principles to enhance learning during clinical shifts
• Apply strategies to promote learning at the bedside
• Use direct observation to assess observable behaviours
• Demonstrate techniques to foster acquisition of procedural skills
• Formulate effective feedback
• Measure skills and behaviours in accordance with predefined competencies (competency-based assessment)
• Implement objective assessment methods focused on learners and faculty
• Select and compare different educational technology methods
• Demonstrate interactive lecturing
• Conduct successful small group teaching
• Promote best practices in simulation-based learning (SBL)
• Apply the principles of Crisis Resource Management (CRM) to improve learner performance in teams, and EM patient care and safety
• Design a curriculum to meet overall goals and objectives
• Appraise literature on medical education
• Design an educational scholarship project to contribute to the larger understanding of medical education
• Conduct Faculty Development activities to train faculty in their roles as teachers and educators
• Create Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities for emergency physicians to maintain and enhance their knowledge and skills
• Evaluate professional and organizational factors influencing physician well-being, satisfaction, and productivity (Physician Wellness)
• Identify vulnerable populations in medical education
• Apply principles of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in medical education
• Appraise programs to improve program effectiveness and inform decisions about future program development (Program Evaluation)
• Apply effective leadership management in health education

Curriculum

The fellowship will last 13 periods. The fellowship is built around a core curriculum and is tailored to individual interests. The curriculum will be divided between teaching responsibilities, a monthly core curriculum, an educational scholarship project, an area of interest, and clinical work in the emergency department.

The fellowship year will be comprised of the following activities:

• Monthly Core Curriculum
• Educational Scholarship
• Clinical Work: 8 EM shifts per month

Monthly Core Curriculum

The fellowship curriculum will be comprised of core domains within medical education, including:

1. Clinical Teaching
2. Feedback, Evaluation and Competency-Based Assessment
3. Interactive Lecturing
4. Small Group Teaching
5. Procedural Skills Training
6. Simulation
7. Technology in Education (in collaboration with the Emergency Medicine Health Informatics Committee)
8. Curriculum Design
9. Educational Scholarship
10. Faculty Development / Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
11. Physician Wellness in medical education / The Learning Environment
12. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Medical Education
13. Program Evaluation

Educational Scholarship

It is expected that fellows will select one specific aspect of medical education to serve as an area of interest. Fellows will be paired with a faculty supervisor with specific expertise in the fellow’s desired area, and then design supplemental activities to facilitate the development of additional expertise and competence.

Fellows are required to complete at least one educational scholarship project in their area of interest during the fellowship.

Clinical Medicine

Fellows will work as EM senior residents. While working clinically, fellows will be responsible for supervising emergency medicine residents, off-service residents, and medical students based on the learner’s level of training, experience, and competencies.

Fellows are expected to work an average of approximately 8 clinical shifts per month to maintain their clinical skills.

Assessment, Evaluation & Feedback

The Fellowship Program Director will meet with fellows monthly throughout the year and complete an in-training performance assessment (ITER) based on all available performance data, including:

• Core faculty assessment of the fellows’ teaching and instructional performance
• Learner evaluations, where applicable
• The progress and quality of the required educational scholarship project

Written evaluations will be completed on a semi-annual basis as per McGill University promotion guidelines. Successful completion of the fellowship will be determined by the Fellowship Director.

The fellow will evaluate all components of the fellowship as well as core faculty.

Application Process

Fellows can begin the Medical Education Fellowship following completion of an FRCP-EM program, or equivalent.

Candidates should provide their CV and a detailed personal letter outlining their aptitudes for a career in medical education by email to robert.primavesi [at] mcgill.ca

Candidates should identify two faculty referees from their training program, including the Program Director and an established faculty educator.

Candidates must secure funding to apply for this Fellowship. For information regarding the application process, salary amount and acceptable sources of funding please visit the link: http://www.mcgill.ca/pgme/admissions/prospective-fellows

Applications are due by September 1.

Additional Costs

All costs for ancillary courses or conferences (if applicable) will be paid by the sponsor/resident. McGill University will not pay for any costs related to the Medical Education Fellowship.