Transcript QA in Medical Education at GMC – 1998 to 2008

THEME: NEW APPROACHES TO QUALITY ASSURANCES IN
THE CHANGING WORLD OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Sub-Theme: A quality culture-embedding QA
into the life of an institution
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QA in Medical Education at GMC – 1998 to 2008
Prof. Gita Ashok Raj.
MBBS. MD (Pathology), MNAMS (Morbid Anatomy)
Provost, Gulf Medical University and
Dean Gulf Medical College,
P O. Box No. 4184, Ajman, UAE
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Quality Assurance
• Concepts:
• Principles:
– Guaranteeing that
standards are being met
– Notion of “fitness for
purpose”
– Accountability
– Self Evaluation
– External Peer-review
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Quality Assurance
• Accountability to,
• External Peer-review
– The providers of our funding
(sponsors/governments/
individuals)
– The providers of health care
who will employ the GMC
graduates
– the licensing authority, MoH,
who will give the license to
practice
– UAE citizens who will pay for
services provided by GMC
graduates
– External Examiners
Report
– Recommendations of
the Commission (
MOHESR)
– Supervisor reports of
student performance in
external sites during
electives/ STP
– Employer’s Reports
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Institutional Self- evaluation
GMC has a rigorous policy and practice for evaluating its courses
• A well organized
reporting framework
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Board of Trustees
Academic council
College council
Department council
Student council
Standing committees
Ad-hoc committees
• Policies for regular review of
the curriculum against
objectives of the course and in
relation to community
healthcare needs
• Procedural arrangements
supportive of ongoing
monitoring and self-evaluation
process
• Regular audit of the
effectiveness of the systems
for Quality Assurance
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Methods: Analysis of surveys and reports
(Performance Indicators)
• Annual
• Quarterly
– CRRI completion certificates
– Student Evaluation of
Teaching
– Student Evaluation of
Services
– Departmental Annual Report
– Promotions Committee
Evaluations
– Faculty Self-appraisal Report
– Peer Appraisal Report
– HOD’s Appraisal of faculty
– Dean’s Appraisal of Faculty
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Minutes of Faculty meetings at
different clinical training sites
MEU Reports of curriculum
development activities held Jan-Feb/
Jun-Jul/ Nov-Dec
• Biannual
– Proceedings of Academic Council
– Proceedings of Examination
Review Committee
– Reports of External Examiners
– Reports of Medical Education
Unit
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Methods: Analysis of surveys and reports
(Performance Indicators) contd………
• Monthly
– Proceedings of College
Council Meetings
– Monthly Reports of Faculty
Liaison Officer after site visit
– Monthly Departmental
reports submitted to the
Office of the Dean
• Weekly
– Proceedings of Department
Council meetings
• Other Reports
• Institutional Responses
submitted to the Commission
as part of accreditation
processes
– Proceedings of Medical
Education Workshops
– Faculty Attendance at
Scientific Conferences
– Reports of Grievances
committee
– Alumni Survey Report
– Employers survey of GMC
graduates
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Mission and Objectives
• Quality development
– Institutional goals defined in
1998
– Revised twice
• 2001
• 2006
– Operational objectives
revised and framed in
measureable terms 2006 –
2008
– Benchmarks defined for
performance indicators
(2008)
– The statements of mission and
objectives encompass social
responsibility, research
attainment, community
involvement, and address
readiness for postgraduate
medical training.
– The Dean and Faculty
participated in formulation of
the mission and objectives
– All faculty participated in
curriculum reform
– Educational outcomes revised
and are expressed as
competencies the student
must acquire before graduation
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Organization, governance and leadership
• Governance structures
simple and reporting lines
are well defined
– Traditional curriculum
(Batches of 1998 - 2007)
• Quality development
– Councils are well represented
by all stakeholders
– Academic Council
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• President (CEO)
• Dean (CAO)
– Associate Dean
– Associate Dean, preclinical
– Associate Dean, clinical
– Level Coordinators
• Heads of Department
Faculty
Students
Parents
External Advisors
Eminent academicians
Prominent physicians
– College Council
• Heads of Department
– Department Council
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• Members of faculty, lab and
secretarial staff
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Admission Policy and Selection
• Quality development: Student selection has become
more and more structured and stringent
– Prerequisites
• All students must fulfill minimum admission criteria
– Selection
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first-come basis in 1998
Structured interviews since 2000
Non-cognitive traits included in 2003
Introduction of minimum TOEFL requirement since 2005
– Intake
• 100 (1998-2000)
• 60 since 2001
– To reduce overcrowding of clinical training sites
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Students Activities and Student Support Services
• Quality development:
– Annual Evaluation of Student Support services has led to
improvement of
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Cafeteria services
Library services
Library collections
Photocopy services
Visa processing services
– Increased funding for student activities
– Greater representation in intercollegiate athletic, literary,
cultural and scientific events in the region
• Increase in number of local colleges taking part in the events held by
GMC
• Increased number of GMC students talking part in events held by
other colleges and universities
• Formation of Emirates Medical Students Society. now a member of
the IFMSA
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Faculty and Professional Staff
• Quality development: Establishment of Medical Education Unit was
pivotal in introducing faculty training, development and appraisal:
– Regular faculty development activities organized since 2003 to support
the Curriculum Reforms Initiative
• Development of the new integrated organ system-based MBBS program
– Appointment of consultant in medical education
– Increased faculty participation in medical education activities
• Conferences (teaching, learning, assessment and curriculum development)
• Workshops (e.g. test construction, preparing blueprints, PBL, clinical teaching)
– Participation of 12 faculty in formal in-house Diploma course
– Increased participation in pedagogic research
– Increased participation in institution-sponsored scientific meetings
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Library and other Information resources
• Quality development: Feedback from Library Users
Survey and recommendation of a consultative team
from RACGP has led to:
– A major renovation of the library physical facilities
– Automation of library services since 2007 has lead to
improved library services
– Increased funding for subscriptions has lead to greater
access to electronic resources
– Establishment of multimedia labs for teaching and
learning has lead to increased opportunities for
interactive learning
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Physical and Technology resources
• Quality development: The learning environment at
GMC has been regularly updated and has kept pace
with educational requirements:
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Expansion of student laboratories
Improved safety in labs
Dedicated examination hall with surveillance cameras
Improvement of cafeteria services
Improved seating arrangements in lecture halls
Better audiovisual facilities in lecture halls
Internet access in faculty offices, common rooms,
hostels, labs and lecture halls
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Fiscal Resources have been well spent
• Quality development: Over the past decade there
has been an increased budget allocation for,
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Faculty development activities
Institution sponsored student activities
Expansion of IT infrastructure
Addition of electronic and Print-based learning resources
Revision of faculty and Staff salary structure and benefits
Expansion of physical facilities
Establishment of teaching hospitals
Establishment of additional clinical training sites
Expansion of Summer Training programs
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Quality development: Improvement in quality and
integrity of institutional publications
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Official website
Prospectus
Student Handbooks
Academic Advising manual
Admissions Committee
Manual
• Faculty and Staff Handbooks
• Policy and Procedures
Manual
• Institutional Research
Manual
• FACT Book
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Research
• Quality Development: Initiation of graduate programs will
serve as an impetus to engagement of faculty and students in
medical research and development:
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Definition of Research Policy and Research Strategies (2008)
Establishment of Research Division (March 2008)
Increase in In-house research presentations
Recognition for best research work
Increased in numbers of applications for funded research
Establishment of research laboratories (2008 onwards)
Appointment of faculty and leadership in research division (2008
onwards)
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Continuous Renewal
• The efforts for meeting the standards has moved from the level of
addressing problems to that of an ongoing, continuous process
that has resulted in an overall improvement in the performance
indicators in all areas, both instructional and non-instructional
• Mechanisms for program evaluation that will address effective
delivery of institutional goals and objectives has been established.
• In future a team of dedicated personnel in the Institutional
Research Unit will conduct periodic assessments for program
evaluation and provide timely feedback to all the stakeholders
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Summary
• We have come a long way!
– The three pronged mission of the institute was established
in a staggered manner with greater emphasis, during the
following periods, on:
• Curricular reforms (2001 onwards)
• Expansion of clinical services (2003 onwards)
• Institutional and Academic Research (2007 onwards)
• Yet, we have miles to go !!
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Thank You!
PAPER PRESENTED AT THE INQAAHE CONFERENCE AT ABU DHABI, ON 1 APR, 2009
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