The Medical Education Scholars (MES) program provides opportunities for School of Medicine Faculty to broaden and deepen their understanding and expertise in creating effective learning experiences, undertaking scholarly research in medical education, or both.
There are two, one-year-long, MES tracks. Only applications for Medical Education Scholars: Teaching and Learning will be accepted for the academic year 2025-2026.
All School of Medicine faculty are welcome to apply. Accepted applicants dedicate the equivalent of approximately one-half day every week to develop expertise relative to the goals of the track. These goals include creating a curriculum project (Track 1) or an educational scholarship proposal and project (Track 2). There are two, 4-hour meetings of the cohort each month.
PDF version of this track description
Using evidence-based teaching and learning principles to create a curriculum that addresses an educational need that improves learner, patient, and/or community health outcomes.
Tentative topics list:
Outcome: Each participant will develop and present a curriculum project that applies learning and teaching knowledge to an educational need that will improve learner, patient and/or community health outcomes. During the MES Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Design Track, Scholars will learn about and apply evidence-based teaching and learning principles in order to conduct a structured analysis of an educational need, develop a responsive curriculum, and identify appropriate teaching and assessment approaches. This track will culminate in the development or revision of a curriculum that is relevant to departmental or institutional needs.
Schedule: We will meet twice per month in most months for 4 hours in each session; 20 sessions total.
Prerequisite: At the time of application, each potential Scholar must provide evidence of their commitment to medical education and identify a curriculum-project goal.
Expectations of participants: Participants synthesize topical reading materials and facilitate interactive seminars related to these readings. Specific topics include, in part, principles of curriculum design and implementation, learner context, supportive learning environments in didactic, small-group, and clinical settings, and principles and theories of learning pertinent to curriculum design and teaching.
Participants apply the topical readings and seminar discussions to their curriculum-design project. Some scheduled sessions focus on individual application of concepts from the seminars to each evolving curriculum-design project, culminating in a final presentation.
Participate in a community of Medical Education Scholars who mentor and support each other and collaborate on innovative educational initiatives. Scholars attend, participate in, and at time co-lead the scheduled seminars. The program facilitates supportive collaboration among Medical Education Scholars through critique and review of each other’s curriculum designs, interactions with presenting guest speakers, and opportunities for scholars from different cohorts to remain connected. With guidance and training, scholars participate in reciprocal formative peer observation of teaching with another MES scholar, based on the POSET (Peer Observation in Support of Effective Teaching) program developed by the UNM SOM.
Designing an educational research project directed toward improving learner, patient and/or community health outcomes.
PDF version of this track description
Tentative topics list:
Outcome: Each Medical Education Scholar will develop and present a research proposal that applies educational scholarship and research methods to an educational research need that will improve learner, patient, and/or community-health outcomes. During the MES Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Research Design Track, Scholars will learn about and apply research principles and methods, in order to develop a research question and corresponding design and analysis plan. The track will culminate in the development of a research proposal that is submitted to the SOM Scholarship of Education Allocation Committee (SEAC) for potential funding up to $10,000 for the following two years. Completion of the track is acknowledged upon completion of the funded project.
Schedule: We will meet twice per month in most months for 4 hours in each session; 20 sessions total.
Prerequisite: At the time of application, each potential Scholar must demonstrate completion, or near completion, of the MES Teaching, Learning & Curriculum Design track (or prior equivalent educational experience) and identify a potential research project.
Expectations of participants: Participants synthesize topical reading materials and facilitate interactive seminars related to these readings. Specific topics include, in part, the design and conduct of educational scholarship, grant writing, and theories of learning and conceptual frameworks that are foundational to educational research. Readings include instructional pieces describing research design and analysis and example applications of methodology in the literature. Guest researchers provide engaging didactics to demonstrate their research designs and implementation. The seminars guide scholars to become informed consumers of educational research literature and to identify and carry out methods to meet their research aims.
Participants apply the topical readings and seminar discussions to their scholarship project. Some scheduled sessions focus on individual application of concepts from the seminars to each evolving research project, culminating in a final written proposal and oral presentation.
Participants have priority registration access to the AAMC Medical Education Research Certificate courses that will be sponsored by the UNM SOM.
Participate in a community of Medical Education Scholars who mentor and support each other and collaborate on innovative educational scholarship initiatives. Scholars attend and participate in the scheduled seminars. The program facilitates supportive collaboration among Medical Education Scholars, through critique and review of each other’s research projects, interactions with presenting speakers, and opportunities for scholars from different cohorts to remain connected.
Mailing Address
Office for Continuous Professional Learning
MSC09 5370 1 UNM
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Phone: 505.272.3942
Fax: 505.272.8604
Email: HSC-CPL@salud.unm.edu
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Albuquerque, NM 87106
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