MEDEV

School of Medical Sciences Education Development

Introduction

Research-teaching linkages: enhancing graduate attributes is the 2008 enhancement theme from the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).The three professional disciplines of medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine were brought together at this symposium to discuss this topic and inform a project report for the QAA by the symposium team from the Bute Medical School.

Some of the questions up for discussion:

• What were research teaching linkages?
• How could they help enthuse students towards research?
• What research related graduate attributes were desirable in graduates from these disciplines?
• Did institutions currently provide a research teaching nexus?
• And if so, how was this achieved within the constraints of heavily subscribed curricula?

Delegates arrived at the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh) enjoying the imposing grandeur of the main hall and the studious atmosphere of the library where posters were displayed. A warm welcome by Julie Struthers (Project Director) was followed by a plenary by Andrea Nolan (Professor of Veterinary Pharmacology) describing the challenges posed by the theme.

The morning session topic was graduate attributes. Four case study talks from schools around the UK gave delegates a taster of how some institutions were instilling research related attributes in graduates. In the small group breakout session which followed, a list of graduate attributes, derived from interviews with faculty from all disciplines was discussed. Some attributes on the list were unceremoniously thrown out, new ones added, amalgamations took place and finally the surviving attributes were ranked in order of preference both from a research standpoint and that of a professional, a tough task!

Lunch and a poster session followed with lively debate on the issues raised in the morning’s session. The theme for the afternoon session moved on to Identifying opportunities and overcoming barriers for research teaching linkages in a professional curriculum. Four talks pointed out the need for such links to promote research amongst graduates, some of the barriers that exist and also how it can be successfully done. The final breakout session involved delegates discussing some thorny questions, such as Should those with responsibility for the curriculum ensure that that research teaching linkages are demonstrated at delivery level? and What are the implications for policy makers? This final question promoted intense debate as delegates noted that our professional graduates need to see a research career as an attractive option, and currently for some disciplines, it is not.

A final round up by Professor Simon Guild (Director of Teaching and Associate Dean) brought together the key points raised:

• High level research and professional graduate attributes are very similar suggesting all graduates would benefit from such training.
• Research experience is important in enthusing students to become interested in research.
• In an already crowded professional curriculum it is possible to provide research teaching links, illustrated by the speakers.

The full report of the project incorporating the points raised at this symposium will be available from the QAA in the autumn of 2008.