Medical Education

Definition

Medical education research may include evaluation of the transfer or acquisition of knowledge, attitudes or skills in any topic relevant to human health among any type of learner, including health professionals, students in the health professions, and patients. Topics often fall into one of the six professional core competencies (i.e., patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, systems-based practice, and professionalism) defined by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education. Legitimate outcome measures include changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills, behaviors, and even patient outcomes. 

Source: Johns Hopkins University

Resources

Resources specific to scholarship in Medical Education Research at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh are listed below:

Institute for Clinical Research Education

Fellows have opportunities to enhance their research skills through the Clinical Translational Science Institute and its integral component, the Institute for Clinical Research Education – which has research services (individual guidance on projects/grants) and notably medical education courses.

Pitt School of Medicine Educational Conferences

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine offers regular Medical Education conferences including Medical Education Journal Club, Medical Education Research & Innovative Design, Medical Education Research Conference, and Medical Education Grand Rounds.

Unified Fellows Course

Learn more about the Pitt Pediatrics Unified Fellows Course.

Important Journals & Conferences

This information can be subspecialty specific. Please discuss with your research mentor(s) regarding which journals and conferences are most suitable to promote your scholarship in medical education. 

Grants & Fellowships

Please see our Grants & Fellowships page for this information, as well as University of Pittsburgh and external grants open to most areas of scholarship. Additionally, consider society and foundation grants. 

Many fellows interested in pursuing basic science research should consider applying for NIH grants to support their fellowship years or beyond fellowship.

Recent Fellow Projects

View recent fellow projects.

Faculty Researchers

Please work with your fellowship program directors and Noel Spears Zuckerbraun, MD, MPH, Vice Chair of Education, and Arvind I. Srinath, MD, MS, Associate Vice Chair of Education for Fellowship Training, to identify potential research mentors.