Minor Thesis - Surgical Education

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

480 hours

To enrol in this subject, you must be admitted in MC-SURGED. This subject is not available for students admitted in any other courses.

Students must complete the below core subjects.

MEDS90006 Context of Surgical Education

MEDS90007 Learning & Teaching in Surgical Practice

MEDS90008 Educational Theory for Surgical Training

MEDS90009 Curriculum Design in Surgical Education

MEDS90011 Research Methods in Surgical Education

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 the Student Equity and Disability Support Team: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject will allow students to develop and investigate a research question of relevance to surgical education. Participants will design and implement a research project drawing on research methodologies from education. Participants will need to consider and where appropriate seek human research ethics approval for their study. Traditional approaches to research projects will be followed including a critical review of relevant literature, writing researchable question/s, designing appropriate methodologies, analyzing and reporting results, discussion including framing results in existing literature and drawing conclusion. Participants are also expected to demonstrate effective academic writing skills and present their project in an oral presentation.

The overall aims of this subject are:

• To deepen understanding of educational research methodology
• To provide participants with an opportunity to conduct a research project in surgical education
• To apply skills relevant for educational research

After completing the subject participants will be able to:

1. Design, implement and write up a surgical education research project
2. Successfully manage all phases of a surgical education research project
3. Identify challenges to conducting surgical educational research
4. Demonstrate formal research presentation skills
5. Understand the theoretical context of an issue of concern in surgical education
6. Demonstrate a capacity to engage in reflective, critical discussion of the area of particular interest

Individual thesis proposal presentation (15 minutes) At workshop one - Hurdle

Thesis draft report including the introduction, research methods of the project (5000 words) End of semester 1 - 10%

Final individual presentation (20 minutes) End of semester 2 - 20%

Thesis report (10,000 words) End of semester 2 - 70%

Database searches, Text processor (e.g Word), Endnote

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Be skilled communicators who can effectively articulate and justify relationships between theory, research and teaching
• Be flexible and able to adapt to change through knowing how to learn using research processes
• Understand the significance of developing teaching practice on the basis of research evidence
• Critical appraisal skills
• Teaching related problem-solving skills
• Academic writing skills
• Presentation skills
• Research project skills