Editorial

Abstract

At the first meeting of the Editorial Advisory Board of The Clinical Teacher we decided that during the first year or two we would invite one or two medical schools to provide some relevant examples of good practice and innovative ideas from their undergraduate medical programmes. Hence, in this and the subsequent issue of The Clinical Teacher, there are a number of articles from my own medical school in Leeds. This is perhaps appropriate since, in October 2006, we are celebrating the founding of the Medical School 175 years ago. Thus I am pleased to be able to present some ‘new ideas from an old place’. Following the recent General Medical Council visit, various aspects of the Leeds curriculum were commended as good practice. I therefore asked my colleagues responsible for those areas to submit articles to the journal for consideration. I am happy to see that several of them were accepted. In this issue there is an article by Christine Beedham and colleagues about widening participation by collaboration with our partner, the University of Bradford. This is an innovative programme, seeking to attract able students from an ethnically diverse and socially varied background to enter our MBChB course. The evidence is accumulating that our aims are being achieved. In the next issue there will be a description from Jonathan Darling of his programme, which introduces first-year medical students to their new learning environment – an enhancement to the normal University Freshers’ Week. We also have some examples of new ways of learning. In this issue, Barry Ewart and John Sandars describe how volunteers, both in and from the community, are involved in learning and teaching. It is amazing how many organisations and individuals can be, and want to be, involved. Donald Nicholson also shows how biochemistry can be interesting! A retired bacteriologist, at the age of 80 he became computer-literate; now, at 90, he is producing animated computer graphics which move molecules around the screen, showing how metabolism works. If only he had had them when he taught me biochemistry 35 years ago! In the next issue, Nigel Simpson describes the integrated course which deals with the human life cycle, from conception to death, and Monty Losowsky shows how aspects of medical history can be learnt via Special Study Components. Finally, there are four papers concerned with student support and involvement. Appraisal is now firmly embedded in our professionalism. Debbie Murdoch-Eaton describes the innovative student appraisal system, which is enabling students from Year 1 to appreciate the value and importance of appraisal. Ian Anderson, now a Fifth Year student, shows how integral for effective educational management students are, and how challenging! In December, Richard Fuller and Kirsty Forrest describe how they have developed systems, together with the Postgraduate Deanery, for career guidance and for introducing Foundation Training programmes – both very topical issues. I hope you will find these articles helpful and stimulating. Medical education has come a long way in 175 years, and we look forward to the future with enthusiasm.