Dr Ed Luff, BSc, MB ChB, PG Dip, MAcadMEd, MRCEM
In the second of our BMERG Committee profiles, we asked Ed Luff to tell us a bit about himself.
Ed is a Bristol Medical School graduate, working as a Clinical Lecturer at Bristol Medical School and a Speciality Teaching Fellow and Tutor at South Bristol Academy, based in the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
He is currently finishing his MSc dissertation exploring students’ experiences and perceptions of using simulation to teach human factors and non-technical skills, as part of his studies on the Health Professionals Education (TLHP) course.
What was your first role or job as an educator?
When I was a medical student at Bristol, I was involved with a peer teaching scheme, educating other healthcare students, including pharmacy and nursing students, and in my later clinical years I also helped to mentor and teach more junior medical students on placements. I then went on to mentor final-year students placed on the same wards as me when I was working as a Foundation Doctor, as well as helping to teach in tutorials and at the bedside.
My first formal role was working as a Clinical Teaching Fellow in Swindon, where I spent 50% of my time teaching medical students from Bristol, Oxford and Kings College London, at The Great Western Hospital, and the other half of my time working clinically in Emergency Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
What inspired you to become an educator and/or education researcher?
I was really inspired by all of the amazing teachers and educators that I met on my journey through medical school at Bristol. This included many extremely enthusiastic and gifted Clinical Teaching Fellows, who I saw as wonderful role models. I aspired to be like them in my future career, and planned to work as a Clinical Teaching Fellow after completing my Foundation Training.
I was fortunate to get a job as a CTF, and during this, I was encouraged to pursue some small medical educational research projects, I was supported by some excellent seniors, including some more experienced CTFs, who allowed me to start exploring the world of education research. After this, I was hooked and was determined to incorporate education research into my educational career!
Alongside my CTF job, I was able to complete my PG Cert in Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals (TLHP, now HPE), which I thoroughly enjoyed. I then went on to complete the PG Dip, including a module on Research Methods, which I found fascinating. This gave me the final push to go on and complete my MSc dissertation, continuing my journey in medical education research, alongside my teaching and clinical commitments.
What challenges have you faced in your journey as a medical education researcher and how have you overcome these?
Finding time to complete research, alongside other teaching and educational responsibilities, supporting students, clinical duties, further study and everything else outside of work is always challenging. I’m currently in the process of completing my MSc dissertation, and at times, finding the motivation to sit down and do some reading, or write some words can be challenging.
Having supervisors and others to keep me motivated and working as part of a team has always really helped me. Seeking the advice, guidance and support of more experienced people is invaluable and bouncing ideas around with someone else, as well as working collaboratively, is extremely important to me. I strongly believe that research should never be conducted in isolation.
What is your current medical education research project on?
I’m currently writing my dissertation for my MSc in Health Professionals Education (previously Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals/ TLHP). I chose to explore students’ experiences and perceptions of using simulation as a method to teach human factors and non-technical skills. These are two areas that I’m really passionate about, using simulation as a teaching and learning tool, and the interplay of humans, communication, environment, and everything else that forms human factors and non-technical skills. I’m relatively new to qualitative research but I’ve thrown myself into it and am really enjoying all the new skills I’m learning along the way.
Who are your medical education/education research role models?
I’ve been privileged enough to be taught by and now work with many amazing individuals at Bristol Medical School. These include Professor Karen Forbes, Professor Andrew Blythe and Dr Sarah Allsop. All of whom have provided advice and guidance as I develop my academic and educational career. I also admire and looked up to many of my former CTFs who inspired me to apply for the roles that opened many doors to get me to where I am today.
What would you consider your greatest academic success?
Helping to support all the students I have worked with, through various challenges, to achieve their academic potential. Many of them have now graduated and started working as doctors, and some of whom I have since met as colleagues! I now also have a leadership role within the medical school assessments team, which is equally exciting as it is daunting.
Have you ever had a piece of work go wrong and how did you deal with this?
Many! Ask for help. Find someone who can support you. See if there are any solutions that you might not have thought about initially and don’t give up at the first hurdle. But also reflect on what went wrong and where things didn’t work out as expected. And know when it is a better use of your time to let this one go, learn from it and put your time into something more productive. Sometimes it’s a tricky balance to strike.
What helps you to maintain your work life balance as a medical educator/researcher?
I think this is something that I struggle with generally. My family are amazingly supportive of all of my endeavours, both work-related and outside of work. I like to set myself challenges and have completed a few triathlons, including an Ironman distance event. My 2 young sons keep me busy at home and seeing friends and family is extremely important to me and keeps me grounded. I enjoy playing hockey for a local team and try to get outside as much as possible. I think that trying to carve out time to focus on things away from work is important, and something I am trying to do more of.
What do you think will be the greatest change to medical education over the next decade?
The ever-increasing demands placed on the national health service, from all angles, is a huge challenge. I see this especially, in my clinical work as an Emergency Medicine Doctor. This will require more health professionals to be employed, meaning increases in education, both undergraduate and postgraduate, increases in student numbers, and changes in the ways we plan and deliver teaching, requiring innovation across the board, as well as more inter-professional and cross-institution collaboration.
What book are you reading at the moment?
I’m not a big reader, so I often start something and never quite finish it…but the books that I really got into were all from Atul Gawande. He captivated me and I couldn’t put them down.
What is your favourite quote?
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results” – Albert Einstein
If something doesn’t work, give it a couple of goes, but don’t keep ploughing on with it. You never know what trying something else might lead to!
What job would you do if you were not a medical educator/researcher?
I spent a season working in the French Alps before starting medical school, and then also worked as a SCUBA diving instructor. My youthful dream would be to work as a skiing instructor in the winter and teach people to SCUBA dive in the summer. Or, working as a barista in a speciality coffee shop somewhere, as my other hobby is trying to perfect making and then drinking delicious coffee.
What three top tips would you give to new medical education researchers?
- Research things that interest you
- Make contacts near and far and collaborate with others
- Find a supervisor and value their experience
Where is your favourite place in the world and why?
I love being in the mountains, surrounded by the beautiful scenery and the fresh mountain air. I enjoy skiing and snowboarding, as well as the hearty apline food and warm fires at the end of the day.
