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Festive Good Wishes with our December Newsletter
 Well, the jollier Christmas season has arrived and I hope that you are making the most of all that ASME has offered leading up to the festivities.
RME was a sterling event that sparkled during the autumn colours and I do hope you’ve noticed that abstract submission is open for ASME’s next ASM in July 2020. This annual event promises to be somewhat different, a break with the normative conference traditions, and disrupt and challenge your thinking. Come all ye faithful and be refreshed and supported to deliver education in your workplaces during increasingly testing times.
On your behalf, ASME’s Board of Directors continues to review its strategy and consider how best to deliver on our designated priorities. This includes improving our communication and connection with members and to this end a series of “roadshows” and a new ASME website are planned for 2020.
We have taken on board feedback which has led us to instigate an equality, diversity and inclusivity review and we will let you know our findings and planned actions. We encourage new members from all areas of the medical education community and look forward to meeting you especially at our ASM.
Our vision in 2020 is to continue to promote the highest educational scholarship. We do this through the activity of our members and I encourage you to look at our awards and prizes to see how these may further support you.
Meanwhile, may I wish you a little rest, a lot of joy and a peaceful Christmas with an exciting and eventful ASME new year to follow!
Best wishes,
Sandra Nicholson, Chair
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RME 2019 Time to Think: Deploying and Developing Theory in Medical Education Research
The Researching Medical Education conference is a highlight in the ASME calendar, not only for the hard working Educational Research Committee who have the pleasure of designing, planning and hosting it each year. Special thanks this year to Rachel Locke (Winchester) and Matt Webb (Keele) for leading this work, brilliantly supported by the ASME office.
This year's event didn't disappoint, with around 150 delegates and presenters gathering for a day of thought provoking plenaries and a choice of 19 engaging workshops, each providing opportunities to think deeply about approaches to (medical) education, research and scholarship.
Our two keynote speakers were tasked with exploring the ways in which theory is deployed and developed, drawing on their own practice, wisdom as clinicians, educators and researchers. Prof Pim Teunissen, University of Maastricht, so beautifully illustrated the need to maintain a childlike curiosity in research, forever asking why, as we seek to make sense of the ways in which we research medical learning and practice. Prof Tim Dornan, Queens University Belfast kept us questioning, deftly exploring the interplay between theory and practice, illustrating the use of implementation science to foster reflexive prescribing practices. Their wonderful keynotes provided the context for the workshops, organised in strands to offer developmental opportunities from the least to the most experienced researchers there (not all offered colour coded baseball caps, to ensure expertise was distributed across the room as Pim did however!).
Our workshop formula appears to work well - we were thrilled to have intercalating, masters and doctoral level students among our community, alongside more experienced educators and researchers working in clinical and academic environments. Our delegates came from diverse professional backgrounds - I spoke to researchers with backgrounds in education, psychology and sociology, with those from dentistry, pharmacy, allied health and medicine. Heartfelt thanks to all 22 workshop facilitators who so generously gifted their time while sharing their experience and expertise with those attending. A special mention to Catherine Hennessy who won the masterclass session for early career researchers - the focus being on research with the potential to have an impact on policy or practice.
You will be able to revisit the keynotes and engage with a range of audio-visual content in the members area of the ASME website in due course (you can also access material from previous years). In the meantime some 'sound bites' from twitter, during and after the event (seek out #asmerme2019) for the armchair version of RME conference.
'World class presenters and amazing workshops."
"Great day out - lots of food for thought and a long reading and to-do list"
"Thanks to all the speakers for giving space to tangle with theory in an accessible way. Much to ponder..."
"My Med-Ed motivational batteries have been recharged"
"Very much what I needed at the start of a masters project (...) Buckets of enthusiasm and expertise!
"Engaging day...my brain feels so full but I can’t wait to get home and digest all I have learnt. It's been lovely to learn in such a warm, welcoming environment. Feel lucky to be part of this wonderful #MEdEd community."
Finally, hold the date for RME 2020, at Friends House, Euston, Thursday 12 November 2020 where we will be rethinking Scholarship in Medical Education.
Clare Morris, Chair of ASME ERC
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Update from the Director of Membership
I took up post in January of this year and it has taken me a while to get up to speed with the intricacies of ASME. It is a thriving community of educators intent on promoting and advancing scholarship in medical education. I have enjoyed working with the Special Interest Group chairs to better understand the needs of the membership. ASME provides a wealth of benefits to members, not least, access to our world-class journals - Medical Education and The Clinical Teacher. We provide access to our wide and ever expanding Special Interest Groups where like-minded educators and scholars can network with others in their field. This year the ASM was incredibly well attended and the feedback was glowing. I also had the privilege of attending a regional EDC event in Burnley, hosted by UCLAN, as well as the Researching Medical Education meeting in London which showcased the very best in scholarly methods and research.
I have been working on trying to grow our membership base as this is the lifeblood of the organisation. Without our members we would not be the world-leading association we are today. We have sought to reduce membership subscription rates to the minimum. I am delighted to say that the Board of Directors unanimously accepted the recommendation to support those who represent the future of medical education but for whom budgets are the tightest. We have agreed to reduce the price of JASME membership to £15 per year (from £33) for undergraduate students at member institutions. We hope that this will be welcomed by the membership. We currently have a strong Institutional Membership with 33 UK medical schools, 7 worldwide medical schools, 1 veterinary school, 8 royal colleges, 20 NHS Trusts, the GMC and Health Education England. There are currently only 5 UK medical schools which are not current institutional members. We hope the opportunity to support their students in medical education scholarship will spur them on to join. The Board also unanimously agreed to allow unlimited discounted places at the ASM to those working or studying at member institutions.
The revised membership subscription rates will come into effect on the 1st of January. These can be viewed HERE
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Colin Lumsden, Director of Membership
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Vacancy with our Journal "Medical Education": Editorial Internship
Medical Education is an international, peer-reviewed, journal with distribution to readers in more than 80 countries. The journal aims to publish material of the highest quality reflecting worldwide or provocative issues and perspectives relevant to health professional education. The contents will be of interest to learners, teachers and researchers. It aims to have a significant impact on scholarship in health professional education and, ultimately, on the quality of health care by prioritising papers that offer a fundamental advance in understanding of practically relevant educational issues. The journal welcomes papers on any aspect of health professional education.
As part of its emphasis on capacity building for the field the journal will offer three editorial internship positions beginning July 1st, 2020. Interns will be involved in all aspects of the editorial role, working closely with the editor-in-chief and deputy editors, reviewing and offering recommendations on submitted works, engaging in conversations about electronic and print-based innovations at the journal, and contributing editorials or commentaries on timely issues. Interns will be selected through a competitive process (outlined below) with some effort made to ensure geographic diversity.
Applicants should anticipate being able to work 1-2 hours per week for the 12-month duration of the internship. Applicants are also expected to participate in hour-long, monthly meetings which will be held electronically via the internet and, dependent on the location of the successful interns, may well be outside of normal office hours. They should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, formal research training, and a strong understanding of the field of health professional education and health professional education research. An allowance of £300 will be made available for any expenses incurred. In addition, registration to the ASME Annual Scientific Meeting will be paid in the July following the successful completion of the internship.
To apply, the following materials should be sent to the editorial office (medoffice@wiley.com) by April 1, 2020.
1. An up-to-date curriculum vitae
2. A 250 word biography
3. A 250 word statement indicating what skills and experiences the candidate brings to the internship
4. A 250 word statement indicating what impact the internship can be expected to have on the candidate’s career
5. A 250 word statement indicating what impact the internship can be expected to have on the candidate’s institution, country, or region
6. A letter of support from the candidate’s employer
To download a PDF of this job advert please click HERE
 
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Call for new EDC members
Call for new members for the Educator Development Committee 
The ASME Educator Development Committee (EDC) is seeking up to three new members.
What is the EDC?
EDC, along with ERC is one of the key committees through which ASME provides services to members. Committee members are a group of experienced and enthusiastic medical educators from around the country. As per our mission statement, https://www.asme.org.uk/edc#mission-statement our role is to support and promote the evidence informed professional development of the community of medical educators.
What does membership involve?
Membership of the committee provides a number of exciting opportunities including; supporting the organisation of regional and national Medical Education events, the opportunity to share and develop new ideas/ share good practise, representing ASME at external events such as conferences, reviewing abstracts for ASME conferences and contributing to the selection of ASME awards.
We usually meet four times a year (including one teleconference) and membership numbers up to 10. Confirmed 2020 meetings are;
• Tuesday 17th March 2020 – Friends House, London
• Wednesday 13th May 3.00-5.00pm - Teleconference
• 8th-10th July – Informal meeting for those at the Liverpool ASM (Optional)
• Early November (TBC) - Friends House, London
Members are expected to attend all meetings. Dial-in is available and travel expenses are paid. Venues outside London will be possible in the future depending on the geographical spread of all members. There is a need to do some work remotely between meetings.
Membership is for three years, usually renewable once. Members are appointed on merit. We are, however, particularly keen to receive applications from ASME members;
• With an interest in postgraduate education and the continuum of medical education.
• From the North and East of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• From a background other than clinical medicine.
We are keen to receive applicants from traditionally underrepresented groups including, but not limited to, those from a BAME background.
Informal enquiries;
To the chair of EDC, Prof Colin Macdougall, edc@asme.org.uk
Applications;
Applicants should submit a 600 word statement to the chair edc@asme.org.uk by 20th January 2020 outlining their background and experience and what they consider they would bring to the ASME EDC generally and also specifically. Those who will be taking time out of their job should attach confirmation from their Line Manager and/or Institution showing agreement for them to undertake the role.
Colin Macdougall, Chair of ASME EDC
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