Graduate Diploma in 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.

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.

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

Students must complete the 4 core subjects (12.5 credit points each) and choose another 4 elective subjects (12.5 credit points each) from the list below.

Core Subjects

Elective subjects

Students must choose 4 of the following elective subjects.

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
• a Doctor of Medicine or 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 Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 7 is required.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment 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 subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Students who completed the Graduate Diploma in Surgical Education can gain a full credit (100 credit points) toward the Master of Surgical Education.

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