Questions

Please tell us about your experience of using the University's services.

Due to personal circumstances, I had to ask for a deferral for some assessments. The CMH Wellbeing Team were proactive in both establishing a plan and scheduling in-person meetings with me to help facilitate this. The entire team and faculty were accommodating of my circumstances, and this support overall helped me to complete my PG Certificate.

What are your career goals after graduating?

I am continuing to work as a Clinical Teaching Fellow this year, and am aiming to do the PG Diploma after completing the PG Certificate. I am hoping to become an Academic Clinical Fellow, pursuing Internal Medicine while continuing my academic career.

Tell us about the teaching environment and lecturers on your course.

All the lecturers had really complementary styles of teaching, and worked well together. The lecturers were supportive and accommodating of our interests. They were also flexible with the timing of sessions, which improved the overall experience.

Tell us how the course has helped you to develop your skills for your current/future career.

Undertaking the PG Certificate has helped me to evolve as a Medical Teacher and as a doctor. I now assign a longer period for planning each session, factoring in the group dynamics, level of learning outcomes, and domains of learning covered to ensure an optimal teaching session. By incorporating these measures, I have noticed improved student feedback over the year.
Furthermore, the individualised and specific feedback provided to me at the end of each assessment on the course, really improved my understanding of each subject.

What are the best things about your course?

I enjoyed the structure of the lessons throughout the course with each module clearly connecting to the next. The face-to-face nature of the PG Certificate really contributed to the overall experience. Additionally, the E4HP Conference allowed us an opportunity to present our work, and to see what our peers are doing. I was able to take ideas and integrate them into my own teaching.

Why did you choose to study your current course?

I have always been interested in medical education, and have been teaching peers and junior colleagues in an informal capacity since I was a medical student, and throughout my career as a doctor. However, all my teaching skills were gained solely from experience and through seeing others teach. The opportunity to undertake a sponsored PG Certificate alongside my professional role as a Clinical Teaching Fellow gave me the opportunity to develop a theoretical foundation to help improve my teaching, while also helping with career progression.

Why did you choose to study at the University of Birmingham?

I chose to study at the University of Birmingham due to its reputation as a distinguished university and because it offers face-to-face courses.