Following are recommended tasks and functions of Medical Education department:
1. Faculty Development for all aspects; including assessment: The department will recognize and support faculty members with specific needs for improvement including the tools they may need to instruct, guide, train, facilitate and mentor both in preliminary and final lines to enhance student's learning and quality of patient's care. This activities can be for local college needs or can be conducted as CME programs.
2. Manpower management: The department will be indulged in the matter of manpower needs of various departments according to the curricular demand.
3. Innovative teaching and learning methodologies: It will look after the emerging teaching and learning methodologies and propose various new technological innovations.
4. Regular Curriculum Evaluation and innovations: As the college of medicine has adopted the PBL curriculum (GMCA 20120); the medical education (ME) department is recommended to have regular review of curriculum and any implementation issues can be tackled by consultation with KFU's administration and University of Groningen. Planning of innovations in curriculum can be planned by ME department for better outcome.
5. Plan and conduct Continuing Medical Educational programs: Calendar of CME activities will be prepared by ME department in consultation with various GMCA committees and academic departments. This includes the seminars, workshops, conferences as well as hands on practice sessions. Applicable CME policy for all Departments to be discussed and endorsed, after which all the accreditation steps need to be done at an earlier stage with all announcement and invitations done at least 1 month before activity, to avoid any inconvenience..
CME activities will fulfil the necessary requirements for Saudi Commission of health specialities. CME activities can focus in following areas:
a. Academic development
b. Presentation and lecturing skills
c. Small group facilitation
d. Using technology in teaching
e. Clinical teaching
f. Teaching the challenging learner
g. Evaluation and effective feedback
h. Assessment tools, Blue printing, MCQ construction,
i. Item analysis, Standard setting
j. Curriculum development
k. Professionalism
l. Educational research
m. Any other specific needs can be considered
6. Medical Educational research and publication: ME Department will be promoting educational research and publication support. It is recommended to have Medical Education Journal Club to create community of experts in current literature regarding teaching and learning, curriculum development, and evaluation. Faculty and students are equally invited to share in the groups.
