I started teaching medical students in 2003, in that timeframe while there have been changes in the education system, there was never too much stress on the art of teaching and learning. In recent years, academicians, having realized the importance of understanding medical education, have rapidly started enrolling in courses on medical education including master’s in Health Professions Education (MHPE).

I confess, when I enrolled for MHPE at STMU, I did not know entirely what to expect from it. I had, of course, given thought to how to better our current curriculum and teaching practices, but did not imagine how an entire master’s program could be dedicated to learning how to teach medical students. However, it makes sense that, as educators responsible for grooming and teaching the future doctors of the country, we spend ample time altering and improving our curriculum to better suit changing times. Society is never stagnant, and to keep our doctors at par with the developing world, it is our duty to remodel our teaching methodology, utilizing new technology and research.

The MHPE program offered by STMU broadened my outlook on the art of teaching aspiring doctors. It forced me to think outside the box about the structure of exam questions and assessment methods. The purpose of this is not to make examinations more difficult but rather more efficient. With the vast course that our students cover, this helped me understand how to evaluate the students better, asking questions that focus on the crux of the concept in a brief manner.

This course helped me realize just how meticulous the process of designing a curriculum is and just how many details one needs to keep in mind for it to be efficient. This course touched on some concepts from philosophy and sociology which were widely different from what we are used to learning and had no idea were so relevant to our field. This sometimes seemed rather daunting, but our instructors always made it easy to understand. Learning from such skilled instructors was an experience in itself. I especially appreciate how much interest the Vice-Chancellor STMU took in our course; intermittently checking on our progress and taking some classes himself. Some of our fellow participants did not live in the city, however, they were well accommodated for. Even during the pandemic, our classes continued online with the same level of interaction as there was in face-to-face sessions. To further improve our understanding of the subject, we were given interesting assignments and detailed feedback on our work. State of the art facilities were provided by STMU, like the excellent sound system, conference room, uninterrupted WiFi, (and delicious tea break!) etc. All of this helped create an environment conducive to learning. The interactive sessions encouraged discussion between instructors and students alike which helped open our minds to differing perspectives.

I truly believe this course is vital for any educator. We learnt many new terminologies and concepts which we can practically apply in our work. I hope the knowledge we have gained here can help us better the medical education system of Pakistan and train not only skilled doctors, but also good humanitarians.

Dr. Sadia MHPE Student