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Brighton & Sussex Medical School

Medical Education

BSMS > Postgraduate > Medical Education

Medical Education

Key facts

PGCert

Part-time: 1 year

Eligible applicants: UK, EU applicants who are appointed to a post within HEESE

Location: University of Brighton, Falmer campus

General enquiries: brighton.ac.uk/enquiries or email: Clinicaleducation@bsms.ac.uk

This course is jointly validated by the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex. Applications for 2025/26 entry are now open.

Apply for the medical education course Here >

Download the PG Cert course application handbook here >

Download the intercalated course application handbook here >

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Course overview

The course aims to promote knowledge of learning and teaching theories in a medical and health context and to facilitate a reflective awareness of the student’s own teaching and learning practice, ensuring that the teacher is also a learner.

Students gain an overview of medical education theory and practice in a supportive environment, which helps to develop confidence in teaching. The course has been designed using an interprofessional framework and participants are encouraged to share their teaching experiences and to transcend professional barriers in their learning.

The Academy of Medical Educators (AoME) has fully accredited the course and successful completion now entitles participants to Membership of the Academy of Medical Educators (MAcadMEd). This qualification allows all holders to use the MAcadMEd post nominals, and is specifically recognised by the GMC. For further information visit the AoME website www.medicaleducators.org/

Key areas of study

  • Professional identity as a teacher
  • Learning and teaching in medical education
  • Pedagogical practice in medical education
  • Advanced communication skills and strategies in medical education
  • Medical education research

Course structure

How is the course assessed?

Most modules are assessed by 3,000 word written assignments which are centred on a topic relevant to the student’s own practice. Students also develop a personal Educational Portfolio of about 5,000 words.

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Modules

PGCert

  • Learning and Teaching in Medical Education (20 credits)
  • Pedagogical Practice in Medical Education (20 credits)
  • Advanced Communication Skills and Strategies in Medical Education (20 credits)
Students in a seminar setting

Career opportunities

This course provides health professionals with a firm base and accredited professional standards to underpin their role as medical and clinical educators.

“The PGCert Med Ed was a good opportunity to ground my teaching in education theory and to reflect on my current practice. The modules were varied in their teaching and the portfolio exercise provided a great opportunity to look forwards as a medical educator.”

Sam Wickham, PGCert Medical Education graduate

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Entry requirements

The PGCert course is open to post-registration doctors, nurses, midwives and other health practitioners who contribute to the education of medical students and/or doctors. A first degree is not essential but evidence of ability to study at Masters level and a current teaching commitment are desirable.

OR

For intercalating MSc medical students, successful completion of at least three years’ basic medical science at a UK medical school (having gained at least 360 credits) with a guaranteed place to continue medical studies on completion of the MSc.

The course forms one of two validated routes for entry to the PGDip or MSc in Clinical Education, the other being via the PGCert in Simulation in Clinical Practice.

This course is open to UK applicants only (and EU applicants who are appointed to a post within HEESE). 

The deadline for applications is the end of July preceding the September commencement of the course.

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Fees and funding

The fees listed are the overall costs for full-time courses taken in the academic year 2025/26. Where courses are taken part-time over more than one academic year, fees are usually charged pro-rata for the modules taken during each academic year. If you do not have settled status in the UK and require a work visa, then you will be fee assessed as Overseas and will therefore be subject to the International fee rate.

Find out more about fees and funding >

Scholarships

Read more about scholarships >

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