Library resource guides: ANZCA Educators Program (AEP): Overview

Program Spotlight

Redesigned ANZCA Educators Program - Overview

The ANZCA Educators Program (AEP) is a practical course designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to be competent clinical teachers. It is open to ANZCA fellows, specialist international medical graduates, provisional fellows and trainees (BT onwards), and to FPM fellows and trainees. A review of the AEP has been completed led by the ANZCA Educators Sub-Committee, with extensive input from AEP Facilitators and external experts. The Redesigned ANZCA Educators Program has been launched and now consists of:

Five core modules over 1.5 days to complete the course (previously eight modules over 2.5 days)
A new course handbook that also functions as an enduring reference for participants

Learning outcomes for the revised course are based on the progression indicators in Tier One (Knowing and Doing) of the recently-launched ANZCA Educator Competency Framework. This is the foundational level of competency, applicable to all ANZCA and FPM fellows in their role as clinical teachers.

The following Learning Outcomes underpin the content (interweaved throughout the modules):

Establish positive working relationships and communicate effectively with learners
Promote a culture that emphasises equity and social justice, and is free from discrimination, bullying, and harassment
Recognise the influence of unconscious bias on teaching, learning, and assessment
Recognise the influence and importance of role-modelling in the educator role

Additionally, trainees are able to gain credits towards the “teach a skill” and “facilitate a group discussion/running a tutorial” activities (Scholar Role Activities).

Visit the AEP page on the ANZCA website for information on upcoming courses. If you are interested in becoming an AEP Facilitator, email us at aep@anzca.edu.au

Module 1: Planning Effective Teaching and Learning (PETL)

Describe the principles of adult learning relevant to medical education
Create a supportive and psychologically safe educational environment**
Outline an approach to performing a needs assessment
Write a SMART learning objective
Develop a teaching plan for a teaching and learning session

**New learning outcome

Module 2: Facilitating Learning in Clinical Settings 1 (FLICS1)

Identify specific characteristics of teaching and learning in the clinical setting
Evaluate the use of deliberate teaching tools in the clinical setting* • Plan a session to facilitate learning of a practical skill
Demonstrate key concepts to facilitate learning of a practical skill
Adapt teaching and learning approaches to a variety of clinical settings*

*Significantly modified learning outcome

Module 3: Facilitating Learning in Clinical Settings 2 (FLICS2)

Describe models for feedback conversations*
Conduct an effective feedback conversation*
Outline the factors required to provide effective clinical supervision
Articulate appropriate levels of supervision for various clinical scenarios*

*Significantly modified learning outcome

Module 4: Teaching in Non-Clinical Settings (TINCS)

Evaluate the utility of different non-clinical settings to facilitate teaching and learning*
Outline approaches for facilitating a small-group discussion*
Incorporate techniques to promote interactive teaching and learning in small groups*
Outline approaches for managing the 'different' participant behaviours that can impact on learning*

*Significantly modified learning outcome

Module 5: Assessment and Evaluation in Medical Education (AEME)

Describe the key concepts in assessment
Describe different assessment instruments and their role in facilitating learning, with a focus on WBAs*
Outline methods to evaluate a teaching encounter**
Outline approaches to seek feedback and reflect on own teaching practice**

*Significantly modified learning outcome
**New learning outcome

Additional concepts in medical education (included in handbook)

Recognise the importance of professionalism, leadership, and teamwork in medical education**
Recognise the basic principles of coaching, mentoring, and professional development**
Demonstrate awareness of fair and equitable selection processes for learners**
Identify and support learners experiencing difficulty**
Recognise different approaches to producing new knowledge in medical education research, including quantitative and qualitative approaches**
Describe the principles of critical appraisal and peer-review**
Identify the standards set by statutory and other regulatory bodies in provision and quality assurance of medical education**

**New learning outcome

Medical Education Spotlight

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown; Henry L. Roediger; Mark A. McDaniel This groundbreaking book, based on the latest research in cognitive science, offers powerful strategies to boost memory and learning. To most of us, learning something "the hard way" means wasted time and effort. Good teaching, many believe, should be tailored to the different learning styles of students and should use strategies that make learning easier. Make It Stick turns fashionable ideas like these on their head. Drawing on recent discoveries in cognitive psychology and a ten-year collaboration among some of the world's leading experts on human learning and memory, the authors explain what really drives successful learning. With clear, real-world examples, they show how we can confidently hone our skills and learn more effectively. Many common study habits simply don't work. Underlining, highlighting, rereading, cramming, and single-minded repetition of new skills create the illusion of mastery, but gains fade quickly. Science shows that more durable learning comes from self-testing, introducing certain difficulties in practice, waiting to re-study new material until a little forgetting has occurred, and interleaving the practice of one skill or topic with another. Make It Stick breaks down these proven approaches in compelling ways and offers concrete techniques for becoming more productive learners. Full of eye-opening and inspiring stories for students, educators, and parents, Make It Stick is an indispensable guide for all those interested in the challenge of lifelong learning and self-improvement.
ISBN: 9780674729018
Publication Date: 2014-04-14
Racism, Microaggressions, and Allyship in Health Care: A Narrative Approach to Learning by Ifeolorunbode Adebambo; Adam T. Perzynski [eds] This book provides a complete teaching companion that an organization can use to educate on the hard topics of racism, antiracism, microaggressions, bias and allyships. It explores the experience of underrepresented minority trainees and other healthcare professionals with racism and allyship. Talking about racism is challenging due to the amount of associated pain, suffering and strong emotions. Creating a respectful, open, interactive and safe place to have conversations, teach and learn is paramount in order to produce change in the healthcare environment. Using narratives to facilitate difficult conversations is familiar to healthcare professionals, and with humility reminds us that we are all "patients" that also need healing. Narratives promote self-reflection and have the power to change beliefs and attitudes. The volume opens with introductory chapters that focus on definitions, historical context and the current climate of racism, bias, microaggressions and allyship. Narratives are presented in 42 chapters organized by themes of racism, microaggression, allyship, sexism and health equity. Each narrative is an honest representation of real-life encounters within the healthcare system. The narratives include personal experiences of racism in health care, explicit and implicit bias, microaggressions and experiences of anti-racist efforts and allyship. There are clear instructions on how to use the narratives for teaching and to facilitate discussion. Among the book's benefits: Explicitly includes the perspective of trainees and administration; Engages learners in affective and emotional learning as well as practical and cognitive learning modes; Provides a series of historical cases, consistent with the preferred and traditional learning modality of health professions; Includes an array of activities, tools and learning exercises. Racism, Microaggressions and Allyship in Health Care is a timely and essential text for medical student and resident training, graduate and undergraduate nursing programs, advanced practice care providers, clinical faculty and staff development, CME workshops, public health programs, and hospital administration. It also is a useful resource for undergraduate pre-medicine programs, structural racism courses, and advanced social science courses (health disparities, medical sociology, inequality, healthcare policy). 
ISBN: 9783031680694
Publication Date: 2024-10-24
Problems and Pitfalls in Medical Literature: A Practical Guide for Clinicians by Adam L. Cohen This book aims to teach the skills for assessing the quality of a medical article. It focuses on problems and pitfalls that may interfere with the validity of an article so that readers know what problems to look for and how to tell if an article has successfully addressed them. It focuses on concepts rather than formulas. In each chapter, one article will be analyzed to illustrate a particular concept, demonstrating when to look for that pitfall, how to recognize it, what effect it would have on results, and how to tell if an author has successfully mitigated the pitfall. Written with clarity and precision, this invaluable resource ensures that readers develop a deep understanding of the critical elements that underpin the quality of medical literature. Each chapter presents a specific concept and employs a practical approach, utilizing the analysis of a real-world medical article to illustrate the concept in action. By dissecting the research, readers learn to identify common pitfalls, recognize their influence on the results, and determine whether the author has effectively addressed them. By exploring topics such as research methodology, bias detection, and result interpretation, Problems and Pitfalls in Medical Literature empowers readers to go beyond a superficial understanding of articles and critically evaluate their reliability and relevance.
ISBN: 9783031402951
Publication Date: 2023-09-27

Fuller L, Beattie J, Ramsbottom V, et al. Developing a program logic model for evaluation and research of a rural medical training stream. BMC Med Educ. 2025;25(1):749. Keywords: Place-based; Program design; Program evaluation; Program logic model; Rural medical education; Rural workforce.; Social accountability.
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Abstract
Background: In response to rural medical workforce shortages in Western and Southwestern Victoria, Australia, Deakin University's School of Medicine established a dedicated Rural Training Stream (RTS) within its graduate entry Doctor of Medicine course in 2022. Consistent with the school's intention to promote social accountability, the RTS embodies a place-based approach, aiming to recruit 30 local applicants annually and train them in situ, thereby maximising opportunities for deeper connections with their communities and enhancing the likelihood of future local workforce retention. To underpin and facilitate collaborative program evaluation and research conceptually, a Program Logic Model (PLM) was developed. A PLM was chosen as the basis of this evaluation framework due to its foundations in systems and complexity theory and its amenity to collaborative development.

Methods: The PLM was developed using a stepwise, participatory approach, incorporating the contributions of a broad range of educators involved in the RTS program. Over a period of three months, participant input was provided through individual submissions and group workshops, sequentially developing each component of the model. Data gathered were summarised, reviewed and validated by the group periodically.

Results: The development of the PLM brought together a diverse group of academic and professional educators during the early stages of delivery of a new program, providing an opportunity for consensus building and the development of a shared understanding of the goals and objectives of the program. The developed PLM provides three clear objectives related to recruitment, training and professional identity formation. Short, medium and long-term outcomes aligned with each of these areas provide key reference points for the design of a comprehensive program of evaluation and research that is clearly linked to the program's goals.

Conclusion: The development of a PLM for Deakin's new RTS has provided an accessible roadmap that transparently communicates the design of the program to enhance local workforce outcomes for the rural communities that Deakin serves. The PLM provides a shared foundation for program-related evaluation and research, that is aligned with the strategic goals and desired outcomes.

Trial registration: Clinical trial number: not applicable.
Giddings P, O'Sullivan B, McGrail M. Retention of doctors in remote, rural and First Nations communities using distributed general practice education: a scalable solution. Front Med (Lausanne). 2025;12:1584501. Keywords: First Nations; distance education; general practice; health equity; professional support; remote supervision; rural health; workforce retention.
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Abstract
The value of distributed training of the medical workforce is well documented. Australia's Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) provides a scalable approach to specialist training in general practice that utilizes distance education and remote supervision. RVTS enables trainees to stay in their rural, remote and First Nations communities while working toward specialist certification as a general practitioner. The program, which supports both international and domestically trained graduates through tailored supervision and education, has operated across Australia for 25 years. Trainees are supported both professionally and socially over 4 years. An independent evaluation (2023-24) demonstrated a 78% completion rate among participants who remained in the same rural or remote practice for an average of 5.2 years. Two years after completing the program, 49% were still working in the community where their training commenced, well above documented retention benchmarks for these settings. High levels of participant satisfaction were reported, ranging from 88 to 100% across various indicators. The evaluation found that the program supports retention by eliciting five participant responses: comfort, confidence, competence, belonging, and bonding. Engagement and connection between participants are maintained through accessible technology, real-time support, virtual small-group learning, and twice-yearly in-person workshops. Despite the program's focus on high-need areas, it is cost-effective compared to similar rural training schemes. The experience of RVTS can inform other countries seeking to enhance rural workforce retention, particularly for underserved populations and migrant healthcare workers. The adaptable structure of the program aligns with the global development goals of the World Health Organization.
Lehmann M, et al. Training and Assessing Teamwork in Interprofessional Virtual Reality-Based Simulation Using the TeamSTEPPS Framework: Protocol for Randomized Pre-Post Intervention Study. JMIR Res Protoc. 2025;14:e68705. Full citation: Lehmann M, Mikulasch J, Poimann H, Backhaus J, König S, Mühling T. Training and Assessing Teamwork in Interprofessional Virtual Reality-Based Simulation Using the TeamSTEPPS Framework: Protocol for Randomized Pre-Post Intervention Study. JMIR Res Protoc. 2025;14:e68705.
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Abstract
Background: Interprofessional teamwork is essential for patient outcomes in emergency medicine; yet, effective training in this area is scarce. Virtual reality (VR) provides a promising, resource-efficient solution for simulating emergency scenarios and facilitating interprofessional collaboration. While VR-based training has shown benefits for medical skill and knowledge acquisition, assessing teamwork within such environments remains a challenge due to the lack of validated measurement tools. Existing teamwork assessment instruments, developed for physical simulations, may not fully apply to VR due to differences in communication modalities, interaction mechanics, and observer perspectives.

Objective: This study aims to adapt and validate the TeamSTEPPS framework to assess teamwork in VR-based training. Subsequently, these adapted instruments will enable the investigation of whether interprofessional teamwork can be successfully trained in VR scenarios.

Methods: Prior to the study, measurement instruments for subjective (Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire) and objective teamwork quality (Team Performance Observation Tool, TPOT) will be adapted and validated for use in VR scenarios. Validation of the adapted version of the Team Performance Observation Tool includes expert consensus via a modified Delphi method as well as validity and reliability testing using recorded VR teamwork sessions. The study itself is designed as a prospective pre-post study with a planned enrollment of 65 nursing and 65 medical students working in randomly assigned interprofessional teams. On 3 timepoints (day 1, day 8, and day 15), participants engage in a VR scenario simulating 1 out of 3 different emergency medical conditions (esophageal variceal bleeding, exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and atrial fibrillation due to urinary tract infection). As an intervention, a structured training video on successful teamwork according to the TeamSTEPPS concept is shown on day 8 immediately before the second VR scenario. Teamwork is assessed objectively with the adapted version of the Team Performance Observation Tool and subjectively with the adapted Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire. Medical performance will be recorded automatically by the VR software based on the medical measures conducted by the team.

Results: As of May 2024, a total of 28 interprofessional teams have been enrolled. Data analysis will begin in late 2025.

Conclusions: This study addresses the challenge of adapting teamwork assessment tools to VR environments and may provide insights into the potential of VR-based training for improving interprofessional collaboration in medical education. Future research could include a control group to measure the effects of team training more rigorously or use more enhanced technologies (eg, natural language processing) to capture the full range of teamwork behavior.

International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/68705.

Keywords: Team Performance Observation Tool; TeamSTEPPS; Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire; interprofessional teamwork; medical education; team training; virtual reality.

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ANZCA educators program [Learn] The AEP has been developed as a practical teaching course to support all clinicians who have a teaching role and particularly those who work with trainees, including supervisors, fellows and senior trainees. The course will prepare you with the appropriate knowledge and skills in educational principles to facilitate learning and teach with results in the anaesthetic and pain medicine environment.
FPM: Better Pain Management [Learn] The Better Pain Management program has been designed for those engaged in the care of patients with persistent pain. FPM trainees may find these modules to be a useful resource for consolidating their learning. ANZCA Fellows and trainees may also find this program to be helpful in extending an interest in pain topics.
Supervisor of training induction course [Learn] This course is designed to be an interactive guide for new supervisors of training orientating themselves to the role. These modules explore key functions and responsibilities of an SOT including conducting effective workplace based assessments, navigating pathways for supporting trainees as well as guidance on what to do in situations around bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment.
Fundamentals of feedback [Learn] Comprised of seven e-learning modules - including an introductory module - designed to up-skill and support you to have effective feedback conversations in all aspects of your daily practice, the Fundamentals of Feedback course is designed to introduce you to a conversational framework that may be applied to feedback conversations, both clinical and simulated settings.

Related courses

ANZCA Educators Program (AEP)
This is an interactive five module course, delivered over 1.5 days, designed to equip anaesthetists and faculty of pain medicine specialists with the knowledge and skills to be competent clinical teachers.
FPM: Better Pain Management Program
The FPM Better Pain Management program has been designed for specialist and general medical practitioners, medical students, nurses and allied health practitioners engaged in the care of patients with persistent pain.

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