Description

Over the last 10 years or so I have worked to establish an internationally-recognised medical educational research centre. Under my leadership, CHERI has a global reputation for academic excellence in healthcare education research, known for its high-quality research focusing on relevant issues, and developing tomorrow's researchers. Attracting funding from various external sources, including the General Medical Council and NHS Education for Scotland (NES), I support several members of staff, plus many PhD/MD students carrying out research on topics related to: selection, performance and assessment; medical careers decision making, systems reform and educational change.
We are renowned for our work with large national medical education datasets, such as the GMC’s UKMED (which tracks doctors from application to medical school through training into posts) and the Royal College of Surgeons selection and assessment databases. This work is frequently reported in the popular press and highlighted in the medical press.  CHERI also has a very strong reputation for qualitative work, applying socio-cultural and management theory to medical education and training.
CHERI’s research activities are not just rigorous, they also impact on policy and practice. For example, CHERI's research on medical careers decision making feeds up directly to the Scottish Government, and has influenced change (e.g., funding additional medical school places, targeting specific groups for recruitment, addressing issues with working conditions and clinical learning environments).  Our work on surgical assessment (led by Scrimgeour) is regularly reported in the medical press.

Period20 Dec 2017

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitleChildren from state schools do better at medical school
    Media name/outletExpress
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date20/12/17
    DescriptionThe study looked at the relative performance of students who entered medicine from state or private schools, and found those from state schools did better overall. This paper featured in the UK editions of The Times and The Telegraph as well as various Scottish newspapers (The Express, Mail, Herald, Scotsman and the Metro). It was also the focus of an article in BMJ Careers: O’Dowd A. State educated children do better medical school. MJ 2017;358:j4239 http://www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j4239
    URLwww.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j4239
    PersonsBenard Kumwenda