22 January 2001
Scots medical schools must lead way in "e-learning"
"Public confidence in the medical profession has been weakened by recent
events," Sir Alan Langlands, Principal of the University of Dundee and
former Chief Executive of the National Health Service in England will
tell key figures invited by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), Scotland's
National Academy of Science and Letters tomorrow (Tuesday 23/Jan).
At the same event his colleague, Professor Ronald Harden, one of
Scotland's international figures in medical education will call for Scottish
medical schools to lead the way in harnessing new technology to transform how we
teach tomorrow's doctors and nurses.
The two are joined by Dr Graham Buckley, Chief Executive Scottish
Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education, Professor John Simpson,
University of Aberdeen and Professor Joan Stringer, Principal at Queen
Mary's College in Edinburgh.
to give their vision of The Future of Medical Education in Scotland in
Edinburgh.
Sir Alan Langlands: "Advances in science and technology, changes in the
burden of disease, new approaches to health care and wider changes in
society are all impacting on the medical profession. Public confidence
has been weakened by the events at Bristol and elsewhere. Now is the time to
redefine the ethos of professional practice and public service in ways
which keep the trust of the people we serve. The implications for
higher education need to be clarified so that we prepare our young doctors for
the complex tasks and relationships that lie ahead of them."
Meanwhile Professor Ronald Harden, Director of the internationally
acclaimed Centre for Medical Education at the University of Dundee,
talks of the exciting new developments that have taken place in learning
technologies and the new emphasis on "active learning".
"We need to transform our view of the nature of learning to something
that is active, open-ended, dynamic and individualised rather than passive,
finite, static and inflexible," he says.
"Universities, Medical Schools and Colleges should respond to this
challenge and, as key players, collaboratively provide the leadership
necessary in the creation of a vision for medical education in Scotland
for the 21st Century. Failure to do so will marginalise their role in
medical education and may even result in their demise as providers of learning."
He said "Dundee and its Centre for Medical Education has been at the
cutting edge of developments in Medical Education and has an
international reputation in this field. This meeting is an important one. It will
look at how Dundee with other Scottish medical schools can create a vision
for the future of Medical Education in Scotland, including the application
of exciting new learning technologies."
Professor Harden is also Director of Educational Development Unit,
Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical & Dental Education./ends