MMedEd student profile: Penny

With a background in obstetrics and gynaecology, Penny started the Medical Education course after taking on a teaching fellow role at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire. Now in her second year, she reflects on how the course has strengthened her practical teaching skills, boosted her confidence and helped build a solid foundation in educational theory — all while juggling clinical work and family life.

 

Why did you decide to study MMedEd at Warwick Medical School?

I’m an Obstetrics and Gynaecology registrar by background and took a job as a clinical teaching fellow at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire. As part of that, they offered to fund me to do a Master’s in Medical Education. I didn’t know before I applied for the job that that would be part of what I’d be doing but I decided it would be really useful. I’ve continued the teaching fellow job and am now completing the second year of the MMEdEd course, the PG Diploma, with a view to finishing the Master’s next year.

 

How have you found the course, and what have the highlights been?

I’ve found the course to be really valuable, especially when it comes to practical knowledge and gaining confidence in my teaching. One of the biggest highlights has been the first module, Essentials of Clinical Education. We went through the basics of teaching, planning lessons, assessments, and all those little things that you experience throughout your education but don’t always understand from the teaching perspective. It’s been an essential foundation for all the modules that have followed.

The contact days have also been really beneficial for networking and exploring teaching ideas. It’s been great to chat with my peers, as well as with the guest speakers and workshop leaders. This face-to-face interaction has provided me with new ideas and insights into what works for others, which has been really helpful.

Balancing the course with work and home life has been tricky at times, particularly after coming back from maternity leave. It was a bit stressful initially, but I received a lot of support, which really helped. It’s been challenging to juggle everything, but ultimately, it’s been worth it. The experience has given me a much deeper understanding of teaching.

 

How do you feel this course will benefit you in your career?

The course will definitely benefit my career in terms of the practical knowledge I’ve gained, which I can apply to my teaching role. Understanding the theories behind educational strategies, assessment and curriculum design has given me confidence in my practice. I know now that I’m not just making

things up as I go along and I’m using methods that are grounded in research.