Master of Surgical Education

The program has been developed to address the specialised needs of teaching and learning in surgical environments. Surgical education is unique within the broader discipline of medical education characterised by the clinical settings in which surgery is taught. Technology has had a significant impact and will play an increasingly important role in teaching and learning the complex sets of skills required for safe surgical practice.
Within this coursework program, there will be exit points at:
• Graduate Certificate in Surgical Education
• Graduate Diploma in Surgical Education
The program is designed to support surgeons in developing expertise in teaching and to promote educational scholarship. There are core and elective subjects with face to face and online delivery modes. This serves the purpose of exposing participants to a range of delivery modes, increasing program flexibility essential for busy professionals undertaking studies in conjunction with clinical commitments. The program content reflects critical issues in the broader education community together with specific challenges for surgical education – the role of regulatory bodies, balancing clinical service with training, teaching and learning in the workplace, ethical imperatives for simulation-based education, and safer working conditions including safe hours.

The broad aims of the programs are:

• To provide a theoretical background in the principles of education
• To explore the contexts in which medical education is delivered
• To develop teaching skills to support learning in clinical and other professional setting
• To develop skills to create robust educational programs
• To introduce methodologies for educational research
• To develop educational scholarship
• To apply all of the above to surgical education

Subjects will provide participants with a thorough grounding in theory and practice of medical and surgical education.
After the program, participants will be able to:

1. Discuss key educational theories
2. Use educational theory to enhance teaching and learning activities
3. Describe relevant policy, settings, format and processes of surgical education
4. Evaluate contemporary approaches to surgical education
5. Describe simulation-based education relevant to surgical training
6. Constructively critique educational practices
7. Appraise educational technology including e-learning
8. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication in a range of educational settings (as learner, peer, teacher, examiner)
9. Design innovative educational programs in response to real world challenges
10. Describe approaches to researching surgical education
11. Appreciate the role of research in developing the field
12. Exercise appropriate professional judgment in the area of surgical education

To satisfy the requirements of the Master of Surgical Education students must successfully complete a total of 150 points via the following pathway:

Compulsory Subjects

4 compulsory subjects must be completed (each 12.5 credit points)

Student must then complete a research method subject (12.5 credit points)

Students can choose 3 of the following elective subjects (total of 37.5 credit points)

And complete the final minor thesis subject.

To undertake the minor thesis students must complete at least 75 points of coursework (including Research Methods in surgical education) before commencing. The remaining 25points can be taken in parallel with (or following completion of) the minor thesis.

In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
• a Doctor of Medicine or a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery or equivalent qualification; and
• at least two years of documented relevant clinical work experience.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking and/or assessing applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
• prior academic qualification and performance; and
• the professional experience.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Admission and Selection into Course Policy.

4. The minimum English language requirements for this course are Band 7.0

Master of Surgical Education welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and degree policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the degree.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Overview, Objectives and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this course are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit:

http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

The graduate attributes for the Master of Surgical Education have been built using the University Attribute framework. The particular attributes that are foremost in the course are:
Academic Excellence
The course will promote excellence in teaching and learning as a core skill in its students.
Knowledgeable across Disciplines
For medically trained graduates, this course will provide an opportunity to explore teaching and learning skills in a diverse range of media across a range of subject matter.
Leaders in Communities
Students of this course will already have made the decision to become leaders in their own field. This course will allow them to participate in the education of the next generation of surgical specialists – sharing their skills and knowledge to improve health outcomes.

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