David is an Honorary Senior Clinical Teaching Fellow, alongside clinical training in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology. Their educational role holds responsibility for developing educational research and mentorship within North Bristol NHS Trust, largely clinically-based projects innovating in teaching methods, and supporting teaching fellows and junior doctors.
David is also a committee member of the Developing Medical Educators group (DMEG) of the Academy of Medical Educators, aligned with his interests in promoting educator development.
Research Areas: clinical teaching methods, early career educators, educator development.
What was your first role or job as an educator?
As a Junior Doctor I was always involved in teaching students, but my first more formal role was as a Clinical Teaching Fellow (CTF).
What inspired you to become an educator and/or education researcher?
The world of medical education gives the opportunity to promote the aspects of learning which clearly translate into real-world practice as a doctor. There is huge value in small-scale innovation right through to large-scale projects and curriculum change, which can be hugely rewarding to support and be involved in. Ultimately being an educator stemmed from feeling like I had something to bring to those following a similar path to me a few years on, and supporting their learning in a way I would have found useful.
What challenges have you faced in your journey as a medical education researcher and how have you overcome these?
Navigating a journey which doesn’t yet have a formal career path, unlike clinical and research pathways which are more defined – this remains an ongoing challenge and part of why I am interested in research about early career clinical educators.
Also, understanding what medical education research actually is. Coming from a clinical background this was huge – the first few papers/books I read were lots of unfamiliar words, but through studying medical education through an MSc in Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals this has helped me to continually learn more about medical education research, how to do it, why to do it, and what to do with my results!
What is your current medical education research project on?
My current project explores the role of Clinical Teaching Fellowships and other Entry-Level Medical Education Roles (ELMERs) in developing educators path to ongoing involvement in medical education, in collaboration with some excellent researchers from across the UK. There’s a big gap in understanding at the minute about how teaching fellowships (which are ever-increasing in number) can be good or bad experiences, and how that impacts health professionals’ further pursuit of a career and role in medical education. We’ve just received an ASME/GMC grant to support this work, and it is great to know that something I feel should be looked into, is being supported by these much larger organisations.
Who are your medical education/education research role models?
My medical education role models come largely from my experience of being a learner and educator, and seeing those around me educate. I’ve taken lots of my educational techniques and strategies from clinical teachers who supported me while doing my clinical job, and I have seen how they manage to educate alongside their clinical practice. Educationally, those around me who are one or two stages ahead I often find easiest to role model from, such as people who have forged their way through the unclear path post-CTF. Finally, those educators and educational researchers who give me clarity in a field which sometimes feel a bit too ‘wordy’ for me – Victoria’s Braun and Clarke have some great work/books outlining medical education research, particularly thematic analysis and how best to go about it.
What would you consider your greatest academic success?
Completing my MSc with distinction in Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals at the University of Bristol. However, doing this alongside clinical training was a big challenge, finding the time and headspace for it; but exploring what junior doctors feel about being educators as well as clinicians was a really interesting project to complete. This is now leading onto much more work in the same area – the educator development of junior doctors and other early-career educators. As well as being my greatest success, it is also remains a ‘to-do’ challenge, as while it has been presented at conferences it has not yet been translated into published research.
Have you ever had a piece of work go wrong and how did you deal with this?
Yes – lots of times, often challenging in the minutiae of formatting or in months’/years of work not ultimately being quite what a journal was looking for – the final hurdle is often the most challenging!
What helps you to maintain your work life balance as a medical educator/researcher?
I think being involved in medical education as well as my clinical training brings huge value to both identities I have within work. Beyond work, my two girls and other half mean that whatever is going on at work, means there are more important things (colouring, picking flowers, watching ‘Bluey’) to do at home.
What do you think will be the greatest change to medical education over the next decade?
Trying to promote ‘excellent‘ education in a world where ‘satisfactory‘ is the only thing that feels like it’s been aimed for for some time.
Also, AI and the role of technology in medical education will be huge and we have to harness the power and opportunity of it to make sure that education is not left behind or uses these technologies to their full abilities.
Where is your favourite place in the world and why?
Scotland – where I’m from, the finest rugby team, and filled with stunning beaches, incredible mountains, beautiful lochs and a lot of places to explore and escape!
What three top tips would you give to new medical education researchers?
- Find a team you can work with, love helping people learn and listen to each other
- Speak to those who have done what you want to do in the last few years (easy to find on social media)
- Don’t be scared by all the words/talk there seems to be – there is some excellent stuff going on, but educational work/research is very different to clinical work/research