This year, AMEE’s 45th annual conference was held in Basel, Switzerland and Advance HE was invited to join, along with almost 4,000 medical educators from over 100 countries, as the two organisations deepen their collaborative efforts. The staging of the conference in Basel, with its theme of ‘Educating the future healthcare professional and the roles of the teacher’ was significant as the city was where the first human anatomy book by Vesalius was published in 16th century.
The conference provided over 1,000 opportunities for delegates to explore and debate the future of medical education, including key notes, symposiums, workshops, short communications, poster sessions, PechaKuchaTM and fringe events. Topics covered student engagement, the use of virtual and augmented reality, task-based learning, remediation, adaptive education and surgery education.
A warm welcome was provided by AMEE President, Prof. Trudie Roberts, a National Teaching Fellow and Director of the Leeds Institute of Medical Education at the University of Leeds. The opening plenary speaker was given by Dr. Bertalan Meskó aka The Medical Futurist who spoke on the intersection of science fiction with medical education using examples of how innovative, disruptive and smart technologies are changing the practice of medicine and delivery of healthcare, and consequently how students need to be prepared.
Dr. Janusz Janczukowicz, FHEA, Head of the Centre for Medical Education and the Chair of the Best Evidence Medical Education Collaborating Centre in Lodz, Poland, is also a Member of the AMEE Executive Committee and one of Advance HE’s Global Teaching Excellence Award judges. He noted that, “Today, inter-professional education means doctors working with not only healthcare professionals but across all fields of higher education to support patient-centred care.”
It was great to meet so many other HEA Fellows from around the world including the UK, Thailand, the West Indies and Australia at the conference. Participating in AMEE also gave us an opportunity to actively promote the wider Advance HE services to those passionate about medical education and working for the enhancement of their entire institution. Many of Advance HE’s areas of expertise are global priorities. From establishing effective governance to the development of leadership capacity and teaching and learning enhancement.
Becky Smith is Assistant Director, International at Advance HE.
Get in touch to find out about our international consultancy services and Fellowship.