Medical Education Research Fellowship

MERF Program Description
Specific Outcomes
Curriculum Objectives
Teaching and Learning
Relationship to other UCSF Med Ed Research Activities
List of Past and Current Fellows
Program Timeline
Eligibility
Application Process
Contact Information

MERF Program Description

The Office of Medical Education (OME) sponsors two faculty members who are medical educators for a two-year fellowship which provides 20% salary support up to a maximum of $30,000 a year for each year of the program. The purpose of the fellowship is to allow the faculty member protected time and provide guidance in developing expertise in an area of medical education research as a means to becoming an independent medical education researcher and an educational leader locally and nationally.

Specific Outcomes

As a result of participation in the medical education research fellowship, fellows achieve the following outcomes:

1. A published literature review
2. Pilot research study
3. Participation at regional and national medical education meetings
4. A grant submission.

Curriculum Objectives

At the completion of the program, medical education research fellows are able to:

1. Search and evaluate the medical education and education-related literature
2. Constructively critique and synthesize the literature
3. Develop specific, feasible problem statements
4. Design an educational study
5. Generate the research methods for an educational research study
6. Develop an area of expertise by mastering the literature and research methods appropriate to that area of expertise
7. Identify appropriate research collaborators
8. Conduct a research study
9. Write a grant
10. Write a manuscript
11. Seek and obtain critique of one's own proposals and manuscripts
12. Present findings from the literature and own research at local and national meetings
13. Develop a research agenda
14. Contribute to professional organizations addressing medical education research

Teaching and Learning

The curriculum is structured around weekly meetings with the coordinator of the fellowship program. These meetings may be augmented by participation of other faculty members from both OME and AME. Activities include: sessions with the medical librarian; participation, including presentation of articles and work in progress, at ESCape; completion of CHR educational programs; service on AME innovations and scholarship committees (if eligible); attendance at and participation in AAMC and WGEA; active membership in the RIME section of AAMC; and teaching in faculty development workshops and/or the Teaching Scholars Program.

Relationship to other UCSF medical education research activities

The on-going areas of investigation in medical education research at UCSF are: clinical teaching, professionalism, and performance assessment. A fellow may join the research team for one of these themes, or, with support of the fellowship faculty, develop a new theme. These research areas may also be a focus for the Medical Education Area of Concentration and for faculty in the Teaching Scholars Program. Over time, the medical education research fellows will lead these teams and actively contribute to the scholarship of the Academy of Medical Educators.

Program Timeline

The fellowship begins July 1, 2008 and runs through June 30, 2010. The first six months focus on a literature review with planned submission for the Research in Medical Education Supplement of Academic Medicine (deadline in February). The researcher plans a preliminary study in his/her area of interest that will be completed by June 2009. At the start of the second year, the fellow participates in TICR (summer version) with the goal of submitting a grant in the fall either to the Stemmler Fund or another agency. In addition, the fellow conducts a second research study in the theme area.

Eligibility

The MERF is targeted at faculty with significant formal experience in education through completion of one of the following or similar programs:

• UCSF Teaching Scholars Program
• similar advanced training in another setting (APGO/Solvay Scholars, etc.)
• a master's degree program in Education

Questions about eligibility or the relevance of a particular program can be directed to Pat O'Sullivan, EdD. Eligibility of applicants will be determined by the review committee, and notification takes place about two months after the application deadline.

Application Process

Eligible faculty who wish to apply should include the following materials in the application packet and send electronically to Victoria Ruddick at ruddickv@medsch.ucsf.edu by April 1, 2008:

1. An up-to-date curriculum vitae.

2. A description of your current and planned educational research/evaluation project that includes:

• Your accomplishments in educational innovations, curriculum evaluation and/or educational research as applicable (no more than one page).
• Your educational research or curriculum evaluation plan for the fellowship including: (1) the specific aims, (2) background and significance (literature based), (3) preliminary studies (if applicable), and (4) description of the potential population and sample to be studied (no more than five pages).
• A description of how this fellowship will help advance your career goals (no more than one page).

3. A letter from your department chair that supports your participation in the fellowship and identifies activities from which you will be released during the period of the fellowship. Departments are encouraged to partner with the program by adding support and offering supplemental mentors. Please address the letter to Patricia O'Sullivan, Ed.D. and send a copy electronically with your packet, followed by the signed, hard copy to Victoria Ruddick by campus mail, Box 0410.

For more information, please contact:

David M. Irby, PhD
Vice Dean for Education
irby@medsch.ucsf.edu

Patricia O'Sullivan, EdD
Associate Director for Educational Research
Office of Medical Education
patricia.osullivan@ucsf.edu