Medical Education PgCert

Develop your skills, knowledge and understanding of medical education at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Grow in your role as a teacher or supervisor in the clinical workplace as well as the classroom. Take your first steps towards a fulfilling career in medical education or higher education.

Scholarships available

Overview

The training of medical students and doctors is a rewarding part of the role for many doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. Their training spans everything from physiology to pharmacology, including the development of clinical skills and professionalism. Delivery of this teaching takes place in different formats and in a variety of places. They are assessed by many people using multiple assessment tools. Our aim is to ensure the best and safest healthcare in an environment that is supportive of learning.

The PgCert in Medical Education is aimed at all staff who train doctors or medical students and those looking to develop their career in medical education. On completion of the course, you will have developed your skills and knowledge as a teaching professional and have a greater understanding of the delivery and governance of medical training across all levels. You will be able to offer student-centred teaching and learning experiences while considering the environment in which it's delivered.

Why us?

The course will focus on the real-life delivery of training and understanding the complexity of the clinical environment you may work in
Flexible delivery to fit around your current work commitments
Visiting guest speakers from a range of backgrounds will share their experiences of working in the field to provide practical examples to assist your learning

On successful completion of the course, if relevant to you, we would support your application for Advance-HE accreditation, providing you with recognition of your practice

Course structure

You'll be taught via a mix of online lectures, group-based seminars and interactive workshop activities.

You'll be assessed via multiple methods which reflect the underpinning principles of universal design for learning including essay format, reflective accounts, individual presentations, and portfolio.

The course is taught on a part-time basis via live synchronous sessions, self-study, and asynchronous activity on the Canvas platform.

To complete the PgCert, you must be successful in two module: Planning, Delivering and Assessing in Medical Education as well as one other module of your choice.

We accept Accreditation of Prior Learning in terms of credit value from accredited university educational qualifications and these credits will count directly towards your qualification. We will ask for proof of the credits before an offer is issued.

Modules

Core module

Planning, Delivering and Assessing in Medical Education (30 credits)

Develop your understanding of robust, reliable and valid educational tools. Grow your knowledge of educational practice using the 'Teacher’s Toolkit'. Explore the underlying theory and selection of teaching techniques through assessment of your own teaching.

Optional module

Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the Clinical Workplace (30 credits)

Study a range of teaching and assessment tools used in the clinical workplace or for teaching clinicians. Use specified assessment tools and gain an awareness of developing professional competency. Grow your knowledge of up-to-date undergraduate and postgraduate curricula, assessment methodology and best practice in formative learning techniques. This module is directed at those who are active clinical teachers.

Supervision and Support of Medical Learners (30 credits)

Learn to balance the skills and time management required to be a supervisor, assessor, mentor or coach at different times on different days. Grow your knowledge on how to manage and support individual trainees as well as consider how they support a wider group of trainees or supervisors. This module is directed at those who are personal tutors, year leads, programme leads, educational or clinical supervisors.

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Facilities

This course is based in The John Dawson Sciences Complex at our City Campus, which has benefited from multi-million pound investment, with state-of-the-art resources for learning. Teaching may take place online or across both City Campus and the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's, subject to room availability.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

You are expected to be a regular teacher or supervisor of medical students or doctors in current UK practice. Applicants will hold a medical degree (MB BS, MBChB) or a first degree of 2:2 or above.

University of Sunderland staff will apply via the HR staff qualifications policy, agreeing workload remission and support with their line manager.

We encourage all potential applicants to contact the course leader before applying, to ensure that the course learning outcomes can be achieved and that the route is suitable for you. Please email postgraduatemeded@sunderland.ac.uk to arrange this.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

The tuition fee for this course is:

£2,500 if you are from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled
£5,500 if you are an international student

As this course is part-time, we can only consider international students currently residing in the UK on a suitable visa that covers the duration of your studies (e.g. Tier 2).

If you wish to go on to study Master of Medical Education, the second-year tuition fee would be £3,750 (total £6,250).

Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements, and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Students graduating at the Stadium of Light

Career ready

On completion of the course, you may look to find employment at higher education institutions, or clinical teaching roles in the public and private sector (subject to meeting the role specification requirements).

Your career in medical education

The majority of students who study this course will already be qualified doctors or health professionals seeking to develop their career in medical education. The course is designed to develop your skills and knowledge as a teaching professional and as such, will ensure that you are able to offer student-centred teaching and learning experiences.

Further study

On successful completion of the course, you can use this as advanced standing if you wish to continue your studies and enrol onto the Master of Medical Education. This Masters course is an internationally recognised higher degree in medical education, with a major emphasis on developing participants as contemporary educators in medicine. You would enter year two of this course.

Meet the students

The PG Cert course has been supportive, interesting and flexible.

Leah Williams

Related courses

Master of Medical Education

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing

Page last updated: 19 February 2024

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.