The NIHR Clinical Education Incubator defines clinical education research as having a focus on “understanding or evaluation of any aspect of clinical education”. The scope embraces the education and training for all health and social care.

We consider that there are three main areas in which clinical education researchers can add value to the work of clinical researchers:

Traditional clinical education research

We conduct research and evaluation across the continuum of clinical education and training, from undergraduate to postgraduate to continuing professional development. Our specific expertise in the field of clinical education research is informed by a wide range of educational, psychological and sociological perspectives, as well as evaluation methodologies.

Evaluation of training

• HEE North West –  Multi-disciplinary training hubs in North West England
• NHS England – Leading Change Adding Value  Framework
• Public Health England – United Kingdom Field Epidemiology Training Programme

Literature reviews

• HEE North West – Scoping review of the conduct of research of equity in medical education
• NHS Scotland  – Scoping review of team debriefing after a patient death

Translational clinical education research

Similar to clinical translational and applied research, clinical education researchers can actively collaborate with clinicians throughout all phases of the research cycle, from understanding the problem to the design and implementation of training interventions to the evaluation of the training.  The expertise of clinical education researchers can enhance the early development of research funding bids and add value to the development of training interventions and their evaluation.

• Management of acute “Can’t intubate, can’t oxygenate (CICO)” situations with anaesthetists at Aintree Hospital, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
• Epiffany project to improve junior doctor prescribing in HEE East Midlands.
• ASPIRE remote consultations project with paediatricians at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.

Support and mentoring junior doctors in clinical education research

We actively support and mentor a wide variety of junior doctors in clinical education research, including Academic Clinical Fellows in Medical Education.

Professor Jeremy Brown, Professor of Clinical Education Brownjm@edgehill.ac.uk

Professor John Sandars, Professor of Medical Education and Director of Medical Education Innovation and Scholarship  john.sandars@edgehill.ac.uk

Dr Axel Kaehne, Reader in Health & Social Care Kaehnea@edgehill.ac.uk

Co-leads Improving Professional Research theme, Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine and Health Research Institute, Edge Hill University.