Academy of Surgical Educators & Conjoint Medical Seminars

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The Academy of Surgical Educators (ASE) aims to foster and promote the pursuit of excellence in surgical education. The Academy has recently clarified its role by renewing its initial focus of supporting, enhancing and recognising surgical educators within the College. This will be facilitated through identifying the changing needs of the faculty and addressing those needs through the professional development activities offered.

The Academy will oversight the curricular development related to generic education needs of  surgeon-teachers, trainers, supervisors, assessors, and examiners - across the Boards, Court of Examiners, Professional Development and the Surgical Societies. The Academy will respect the syllabus content of the education in surgery delivered by the Training Boards and Specialist Societies. The Academy will support the education delivery and faculty development for these groups as appropriate.

It will continue to be the driving force behind the ASC Surgical Education Program and Educational Master Class programs at the Annual Scientific Congress, as well as research in the field of surgical education. Collaborations with other Colleges and Universities both domestically and abroad will be explored.

We invite you to apply for Academy Membership. Membership is open to Fellows, Trainees and non-surgeons who contribute to surgical education programs and have an interest in increasing their capacity to deliver surgical education. Surgical supervisors are encouraged to become members.

Many supervisors and trainers have an investment in enhancing the future of surgery. Membership of the Academy will provide you with an opportunity to share your creative ideas and solutions for advancing surgical education and influencing the strategic educational direction of the College through the Academy. Your contributions will be highly valued.

Graduate Programs in Surgical Education

Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Masters level programs in surgical education are now offered in partnership with the Department of Surgery and Medical Education Unit, the University of Melbourne and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

The programs are designed to support surgeons in gaining formal skills in teaching and educational scholarship. There are core and optional subjects with flexible delivery modes. Subjects include: Contemporary Context of Surgical Education, Educational Methods - Practice & Theory, Curriculum Design in Surgical Education, Recruitment & Selection of Trainees, Teaching Human Factors and Professional Skills for Surgery. The content reflects critical issues in the broader education community together with specific challenges for surgical education - the role of regulatory bodies, balancing clinical service with training, ethical imperatives for simulation based education, safer working conditions including safe hours and more.

The programs are open to anyone holding an MBBS (or equivalent) and a practicing or trainee surgeon.

Further information on Graduate Programs in Surgical Education can be found on the 2013 brochure (PDF 247 KB) or via the University of Melbourne website

The College also offers professional development activities and skills training courses.

 National Simulation Health Educator training program

On Friday the 31st of May the Academy members are invited to participate in NHET Sim, Australia's first National Simulation Health Educator training program, funded by Health Workforce Australia.

Educators who currently use or intend to use simulation as an educational tool to support the education and training of others are encouraged to attend free of charge. The program is being tailored for a surgical educator audience and will involve two online core components - 'Simulation based education: contemporary issues for the health professionals' and 'Being a simulation educator'; and a one day workshop on 'Simulated patient methodology' and 'Patient focussed simulations'. All participants that complete the program will be acknowledged as a NHET SIM graduate.

The workshop will be facilitated by Professor Debra Nestel, Monash University and will be held at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Melbourne.

The program will run from 9am - 5pm.  Registration for 31 May is now closed. Another program has been scheduled for 22 July, 9:30am - 4:30pm. If you would like to register for NHET Sim please email ase@surgeons.org or phone +61 3 9249 1212 your name, contact details and RACS ID. 

Attendance is free and open to all of our Academy members.

Academy Educator Studio Sessions

During June the Academy will be hosting the first of its FREE Educator Studio Sessions at the College's Melbourne office and simultaneously broadcasting to its members via a web conferencing platform. Members are welcome to attend the educational event in person and network with colleagues or participate online. Each presentation will be followed by a Q and A style session (fielding questions from the audience in the room and online), with a catered networking opportunity to follow. 

Guest speakers will include:

Dr Ian Curran
Dean of Educational Excellence and Head of Innovation, London Deanery
London Commissioner for Medical and Dental Education
Developing a diagnostic and management framework for trainees in difficulty
Dr Curran will explore the challenging area of managing trainees in difficulty. Case studies will be utilised to develop a diagnostic and management framework and the session will conclude with an introduction to difficult conversations.
Saturday 22nd of June 11.00 - 12.30 pm AEST
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Melbourne

Professor Tim Dornan
Professor of Medical Education at Maastricht University
Where does apprenticeship stand in the competency era?
Tuesday 25th June 6.30 - 8.00 pm AEST
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Melbourne

Dr Sonal Arora
Clinical Lecturer in General Surgery Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College
'Simulation and its role for surgical educators'.
Thursday 19 September 6.30pm - 8.00pm AEST
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Brisbane

If you are interested in attending any of the Educator Studio Sessions then please indicate via email on ase@surgeons.org or +61 3 9249 1212 for catering purposes. Attendance is free and open to all of our Academy members.

Resources

The Medical Professional in the 21st Century: Competent, Fit and Safe
Convened jointy with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and The Royal Australasian College of Physicians in Melbourne on Wednesday 29 February 2012. Videos of each presentation were produced.

Membership

To apply for membership, please provide the following:

  • a covering letter explaining your reasons for applying for membership (either member or faculty member)
  • your curriculum vitae (no longer than 2 pages)
  • two referees
  • your RACS ID number.

Please email, fax or post your application to:

Academy of Surgical Educators
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
College of Surgeons' Gardens
250-290 Spring Street
East Melbourne VIC 3002 Australia

Fax: +61 3 9276 7412

Email: ase@surgeons.org

 

Contact

ASE Secretariat
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
College of Surgeons' Gardens
250-290 Spring Street
East Melbourne VIC 3002 Australia

Telephone: +61 3 9249 1212
Fax: +61 3 9276 7412
Email: ase@surgeons.org