The course is full of inspiring clinical educators with their own experiences to share

Originally from Nottingham, Katy began the course in 2019 and is a teaching fellow in the School of Medicine and Population Health at the University of Sheffield. Katy says, “This job is relatively new and didn't exist in Aug 2018, so I applied for it with the understanding that some of it would involve finding my own way with my responsibilities. 

“I was a foundation doctor from August 2016 in South Yorkshire for two years and have lived in Sheffield since. I am building my life here and have fallen in love with the city and the countryside, the friendliness and community. In order to support my job, a course in the theory behind medical education was extremely beneficial, and at Sheffield I would be taught by my senior colleagues and also be supported by them in my learning outside of the study days.”

Katy has always had a passion for teaching, from helping Year 7s to learn jingle bells on the keyboard during my music GCSE at school, to teaching secondary school students about medicine in schools to help them get into medical school. Katy also took up volunteering with Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health helping to teach clinical skills, where she was offered her teaching fellow role.

Katy adds, “The course this year has had a bit of a revamp and I enjoyed the opportunity for peer discussions and opportunities for feedback. I taught peers for a session, and was given immediate feedback on it which was then used to write a reflective assignment. A simple but effective way of engaging myself in what my own teaching is like and how effective it is, and therefore learning a lot about myself from this task. 

“During the course and the required reading, I have come to understand how my previously raw and untamed teaching enthusiasm and methods do follow patterns of other educators, and have foundation in described theories of education. I have been able to use this new knowledge to improve how I work, and hone my skills to provide the best teaching and facilitation that I can. I hope to incorporate medical education into my future career; I would love to continue to teach as well as train to be a GP.”