Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

Masters in Health Professions Education

Batch: 2015-17
Assignment # 1

Topic: REFLECTION ON FIRST CONTACT SESSION

Assignment Code: MHTL7113 Intro To HPE, Teaching & Learning

Page 1 of 18

Name of Student

Dr. Mujahid Zulfiqar Ali

Version

Final

Date of Submission

12th Jan 2016

Teachers Name

Dr. Raheela Yasmin

Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

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MHPE-201517

Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

TABLE OF CONTENTS
S

Assignment Component

No.
1.
2

No
Reflection on Learning Environment
4
Factors Which Inhibited My Learning In First Contact 7

781
245

2.
3.
4.
5.

Session
Teachers Role in facilitation of learning
Strengths & Weaknesses of First Contact Session
Personal Development Plan for MHPE
References

562
661
3 pages
2 pages

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Page

8
11
12
15

Words

Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

REFLECTION ON LEARNING ENVIRONMENT:

Learning without reflection is a waste. Reflection without learning is dangerous.
Confucius
INTRODUCTION:
Doctors are the health care professionals who help maintain human health
using evidence-based medical practices; study, diagnose, prevent and treat physical
and mental illnesses in human populations. Educating health care professionals
sharpen their teaching skills, better knowledge transfer, involvement in researches
and indirectly improving the outcomes. I have been learning for all these years for my
undergraduate, post-graduate and fellowship examinations. I have experienced
different spectrum of teachers during all these years, but never thought of teaching
as a skill1. It was only when I started supervising my surgical trainees, then I realized
how important is effective teaching in imparting ones knowledge, experiences and
skills to the junior colleagues. Being a general / thoracic surgeon and supervisor for
FCPS surgery trainees adds up the responsibility. Effective teaching is a specialized
field aiming to produce excellent doctors.
Keeping in view all this I joined MHPE in Riphah International University when
our first contact session started on 21 st August for 10 days. Today I will give reflection
on the learning environment as well as facilitation by teachers.

Adult learning

principles appeared a new subject and great experience 2. Before starting the session
it looked as if I knew everything but when it started rolling down, only then I realized
there is so much new knowledge to learn. Learning new things at this stage of my
career and age was more challenging. Adult learning has its own perspectives sitting
from 8am to 5pm for ten consecutive days looked difficult but our internal motivation
made things easy3. Other participants had the similar reaction as well but the learning
environment was conducive enough to help us in this learning session. Learning
environment comprises of people, settings and physical space 4.
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Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

FACULTY: Our faculty comprised of spectrum of highly qualified tutors from

Riphah International University as well as different other educational setups with vast
experience of teaching medical education. Moreover, the respect given to us as well
as friendly atmosphere created during the contact session kept motivating all
participants. They were very accommodative and available all the time. Moreover
they all kept applying different learning theories/strategies for inculcating new
concepts of adult learning in us.
TRAINING PROGRAM: The biggest issue with health professional education was
non-existence of any such structured program in Pakistan in near past. Because of this
there was a visible deficiency in continuing medical education of health professionals
leading to static old fashioned educational methods at undergraduate levels in
medical colleges. Structured training program of the whole MHPE course is available
at RARE. It included along with detailed topics to be taught with the dates in all our
contact session; thus showing the efforts put in by the faculty. The administration
staff was very supporting to ease out the difficulties we faced initially.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: It has to be conducive for deep learning.
Educational atmosphere here at RARE was very helping and positive in all aspects. The
physical factors were very well addressed. The conference room for our session was
friendly but a little bit crowded. with adequate cooling facilities. The Social and
educational interaction was healthy, non-threating, with very supportive staff-room
helped in peer collaboration.
ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITIES: The administration provided all facilities during
the course of contact session. Staff was accommodative with a problem-solving
attitude. Refreshments and meals were acceptable to all and provided on time.
Advanced technical facilities are fast becoming necessity for educational setups.
Multimedia and Video Recording were up to date. Moreover Moellim and its
educational use improved our horizon of virtual medical education.
PEER COLLABORATION: The peer collaboration was the strongest point of this
course. All the adult learners were well-educated, multi-disciplinary, avid listeners
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Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

and healthy contributors. The helping attitude of some knowledgeable peers was the
best part of it. Moreover the formation of a peer e- learning platform on social media
made this MHPE batch as a family; sharing, helping, discussing and contributing etc.
Learning how to teach adult students after accomplishing ones professional
goals is a difficult and specialized task. My personal professional goal is becoming an
excellent surgeon, an excellent teacher and supporting my clinicians colleague in
improving their clinical skills. Achieving this goal looked difficult initially but not now;
especially after joining RARE for MHPE program under the able scholarly guidance of
our faculty with a structured training program to undergo, addressing own weak
areas, learning the principles of adult learning, knowing about core competencies and
curriculum/faculty development. Learning new concepts of teaching strategies and
applying them in the training program at our department is the way forward. With
this in my mind, I want to impart my knowledge and professional skills to next
generation as a debt I owe to this country.

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Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

FACTORS WHICH INHIBITED MY LEARNING IN FIRST CONTACT SESSION:

COURSE PACE: Being a novice in the field of medical education, it was difficult for
me to cope up with the course pace starting at 8am till 5pm, concentrating, learning
new things, grasping knowledge and understanding the core competencies was not
only different but challenging as well. Course should be flexible with less contents in
a contact session. Some time should be reserved for study at home. It would be of
immense help if facilitators emailed their lectures before hand so that the learners
can go through it and fresh up their prior knowledge.
TECHNICAL MATERIALS: All facilitators should give the hand outs, presentations at
the end of their lectures for future reading/reference. Department of IT should make
arrangement for video recording, making CDs of every lecture delivered and
archiving.
TECH STAFF PROPORTION: I faced problems learning mendeley, moellim because of
less technical assistant staff available to help out. For all technical related issues,
there should be 1 person for 2 students each.
HANDS-ON EXERCISE: More active involvement of learners should be ensured.
Recording / Replay of micro teaching presentation session was the best learning tool.
Our presentations were recorded and then we have to reflect upon our teaching
strategy/methods as well as effective feedback was provided by peers and
facilitators. We learnt a lot of things in this session. All learners should be made to do
PBL, CBL, lectures etc for the hands on experience.

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Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

TEACHERS ROLE IN LEARNING FACILITATION:

Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher. As a
Japanese proverb says.
But what are these great teachers made of? Passion for the knowledge? desire
for the excellence?, energy for hard work? stimulus to ignite the students preference
for something different and new? Earlier just passing an exit examination was
synonymous of becoming a consultant in respective field. And ultimately that will
translate into becoming an excellent teacher. However transformative teachers 5 are
the special genre, who will mould the path of life, opening new horizons, inspiring
and influencing to the levels where sky is the limit. We all had some role models,
mentors and teachers in our lives to get influenced from.

A good teacher is more

than a lecturer and have more than 12 roles to play 6. He has to be an information
provider, role model, facilitator, accessor, planer and resource developer. In this
complex scenario, the teaching has become just like educational equivalent of water
rafting. Paradigm shift from teacher-centered to student-centered education is the
recent development7.
DR RAHEELA: The program director of MHPE created an atmosphere of friendliness
and confidence which increased our motivation. She made things very easy through
her interactive sessions. Her interactive session on problem-based learning through
the role playing made it very easy to understand 8. She was flexible, accommodative
and used a constructivist approach to learning. She used to know our prior knowledge
and then constructed on it. Her positive reinforcement through effective feedback
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Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

urged us to work hard to grasp these new concepts of medical education. Her
presentations showed relevance to us. Active learning was the background theme
always and inculcated deeper understanding of medical education.

DR IDREES: All the learners were involved in interaction, group discussion and
presentations thus consolidating the active learning 9. Active learning technique is
different from passive listening/reading and involves learner at the very outset. Small
groups were made and tasks given at the application level to clear our concepts of
cognitivistic

learning.

Details

and

application

of

educational

theories

like

behaviouristic, constructivistic, experiential theory were elaborated through active

learning and self-directed learning10,11.
DR REHAN: There is no fixed definition of a good teacher. Moreover, the role of a
medical

teacher

has

been

extended

beyond

boundaries 12.

Dr

Rehan

gave

understanding of the educational strategies and instructional designs using self

directed learning3. It was consolidated by small group tasks ending up in
presentations. Learners were then asked for a critical reflection on their activities 13.
Immediate

precise effective feedback with positive reinforcement was provided to

every participant, which has emerged as a new developmental dialogue between the
teacher and learner14.
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Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

DR

MHPE-201517

USMAN:

The session on
work-place
based learning
brightened
our horizon15.
The

active

learning
technique used facilitated my deep learning. Small group discussions and
presentations were excellent experience of peer collaboration leading to knowledge
transfer. In concluding the first session, all facilitators educated us with the new learning
theories, changing roles of a teacher and the variety of teaching methods in the
armamentarium of a teacher. Emphasis was laid on relevance of subjects to the learners

so that they are more interested and motivated to learn new things with the aim of
future application in their respective fields. I am personally trying to implement in my
department new things learnt at RARE and try to evolve as a better teacher.

STRENGTHS OF FIRST CONTACT SESSION:

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Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

Joining the medical education program has literally opened up my mind about the
psychological as well as scientific aspects of this speciality. This second batch of MHPE
learners comprised of spectrum of consultants from different specialities of medicine;
showing the degree of awareness of medical education in health professionals.
MOTIVATION: Internal motivation was the biggest strength almost every participant
was carrying with. All of them were motivated to learn new things, accept new
challenges and bring change in their teaching/learning behaviours. All of the
facilitators kept on motivating us more through positive reinforcement by their
encouraging remarks and gestures. Caring, compassionate and the helping attitude of
the program director Dr Rahila Yasmin just made things look so easy that every
learner was positive even with minor hiccoughs.
TEACHING STRATEGIES: All facilitators used variety of teaching strategies at the
application level for concept making in us. The required relevance of the topic for the
consultants and respect for the learners shown by all teachers was the main strength.
Interactive mode of teaching was the main stay of the contact session. Everybody had
to participate in the discussion; thus stimulating active learning amongst us. These
discussions initiated deeper learning, providing clarity of knowledge and logical
justification of different points. Almost all teaching methods like small group
discussions, presentations, role-play were used.
PEER COLLABORATION: It was one thing that was encouraged throughout the contact
session during small group discussions and wherever the teachers thought required,
they facilitated us. More knowledgeable peers helped the others in clearing up
confusing

issues

through

examples.

approach,

social

constructivism

and

Facilitators
experiential

demonstrated
theories

behaviouristic

through

cognitive

application to stimulate prior knowledge amonst us.

REFLECTION/FEEDBACK: Learning the technique of medical reflection was a new
thing I learnt with a lasting impact on me. It helped us assessing our own performance
and competencies consciously and devise new strategies to improve. Realistic
feedbacks were provided though some looked more harsh at that tim;e but when
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Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

rationally thought upon, they appeared more constructive. Feedbacks from Dr Rehan,
Dr Idrees and Dr Usman were logical, deep, constructive and demonstrated depth of
knowledge.
ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT: We were accorded warm welcome at RARE by the
Principal, Dean and Program director. Atmosphere was made positive and easy going
by all administrative staff. They were readily available to solve all administrative
issues. Efforts were made for comfortable learning environment/climate around us.
Uptodate technical assistance was provided in the form of wifi, multi-media and video
recording/playback facilities.

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Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

WEAKNESSES AND STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE:

Humans are created weak. (Quran 4:28)

COURSE SPEED: First contact session covered many subjects. Being new into medical
education was a bit difficult to grasp so many new concepts in so less a time.
Contents covered should be less and according to learners abilities and prior
knowledge base.
GROUP ACTIVITIES: Group activities used to be a daily feature. More time should be
given for a group activity. Since it takes long to know each other, communicate and
actively participate in it. Every time a new group should be made and roles like
scribe, leader and presenter in a group be rotated because the more knowledgeable
learners try to dominate.
HOME WORK: The best time of understanding and learning is during the contact
session. Instead of homework assignments, daily small tasks should be assigned.
Moreover, while giving assignments, should be elaborated in detail and explained in
depth. Understanding the concept of assignments that what is asked, from where to
study and how to write was the difficult most aspect I found until now.
CONTACT SESSIONS: First year of MHPE program comprises of contact sessions of ten
days each from 8 am to 5 pm. Sitting at the same place and listening and
concentrating for so long and so frequent is difficult and at times a bit repulsive. If
the duration is reduced to 5 days after every two months, it would have more valid
impact on the learners.

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Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR MHPE

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MHPE-201517

Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

PDP DURING CONTACT SESSION:

Learning Objective

When Do I How Will I Know

Learning Opportunities

Want To

That I Have

That Will Support The

Achieve

Achieved?

Achievement Of This

To do Pre-contact

By?
Before

Gone through

Objective
1. Read from book

session preparation

contact

Topics from text

/article atleast

session

book at least

once

To note all

starts
once
10 Days Of Day Wise Folders

lectures/presentations

Contact

Of Contact

Session.

Session.

2. Write Important
Points Of Lecture.
3. Saving
Presentation

I Intend To Read Daily

10 Days

I Will Go Through

Activity Of Contact

All Lectures,

Session.

Presentations
Taught In The Day.

4. Recording Video.
1. Read All Lecture
Points Made.
2. Go Through All
Presentations
Delivered On Each
Topic Daily.
3. Google search /
download
important articles

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Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

PDP AFTER CONTACT SESSION

Learning Objective

Medical Education

When Do I

How Will I

Learning Opportunities

Want To

Know That I

That Will Support The

Achieve

Have

Achievement Of This

By?

Achieved?

Objective

3 Months

Covered During

1.Will Read Each Chapter

Contact Session

2.Make Notes.

1.Complete All

1.Assignment With

Assignments

Colleagues.

2.Submit in

2.Make A Rough Sketch.

time

3.Collect Reading

Text Book Chapter

Chapters
Assignments

2-3 months

Material.
4.Get Reference And
Read Articles From
Google.
5.Write assignment
Make Lectures According

Lecture

1.Make Lectures

To Medical Education

Delivery To

Presentation According To

Principles.

Students.

Learning principles 2.Get

Principles.
Colleagues.

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3 Months.

Feedback From
colleagues

Course # MHTL 7113 Introduction to MHPE Teaching

& Learning

MHPE-201517

REFERENCES
1. BMJ Careers. Effective teaching skillshow to become a better medical
educator. Ralhan S, Bhogal P, Bhatnagar G, Young J, Green M. [Homepage on
internet] c2016[Publication 2012 Feb 8:cited 2016 Jan 12]. Available from
http://careers.bmj.com/careers/advice/Effective_teaching_skills
%E2%80%94how_to_become_a_better_medical_educator.
2. Kaufman DM. Applying educational theory in practice. BMJ. 2003 Jan
25;326(7382):213-6.
3. Taylor DC, Hamdy H. Adult learning theories: Implications for learning and
teaching in medical education: AMEE Guide No. 83. Medical teacher. 2013 Nov
1;35(11):e1561-72.
4. Genn JM. AMEE Medical Education Guide No. 23 (Part 1): Curriculum,
environment, climate, quality and change in medical educationa unifying
perspective. Medical teacher. 2001;23(4):337-44.
5. Buchman S. Transformative teachers. Canadian Family Physician May 2012 vol.
58 no. 5 605
6. Crosby RH. AMEE Guide No 20: The good teacher is more than a lecturer-the
twelve roles of the teacher. Medical teacher. 2000;22(4):334-47.
7. ONeill G, McMahon T. Student-centred learning: What does it mean for
students and lecturers. Emerging issues in the practice of university learning
and teaching. 2005 Oct;1:27-36.
8. Davis MH. AMEE Medical Education Guide No. 15: Problem-based learning: a
practical guide. Medical teacher. 1999;21(2):130-40.
9. Gleason BL, Peeters MJ, Resman-Targoff BH, Karr S, McBane S, Kelley K,
Thomas T, Denetclaw TH. An active-learning strategies primer for achieving
ability-based educational outcomes. American journal of pharmaceutical
education. 2011 Nov 10;75(9).
10.Dornan T, Hadfield J, Brown M, Boshuizen H, Scherpbier A. How can medical
students learn in a self-directed way in the clinical environment? Design-based
research. Medical education. 2005 Apr 1;39(4):356-64.

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& Learning

MHPE-201517

11.Yardley S, Teunissen PW, Dornan T. Experiential learning: AMEE guide No. 63.
Medical teacher. 2012 Feb 1;34(2):e102-15.
12.Nawabi S, Khan RA, Yasmin R. Teachers perceptions of their roles in medical
colleges. AHPE.2015;1(1):24-29
13.Sandars J. The use of reflection in medical education: AMEE Guide No. 44.
Medical teacher. 2009 Jan 1;31(8):685-95.
14.Branch Jr WT, Paranjape A. Feedback and reflection: teaching methods for
clinical settings. Academic Medicine. 2002 Dec 1;77(12, Part 1):1185-8.
15.Raelin JA. Work-based learning: Bridging knowledge and action in the workplace. John
Wiley & Sons; 2008 Feb 13.

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