
Surgical Education
Challenge and develop your thinking and practice as a surgical educator.
Surgical Education
Challenge and develop your thinking and practice as a surgical educator.
Challenge and develop your thinking and practice as a surgical educator
Gain the practical understanding and judgement needed to innovate in this growing field
Choose between flexible learning pathways and tailor your studies towards your career needs
Course key facts
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Qualification
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MEd
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Duration
3 years
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Start date
October 2023
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Study mode
Part-time
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Fees
£15,800 Home
£40,800 Overseas
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Delivered by
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Location
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Blended (online and on-campus)
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Minimum entry standard 2023
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2:1 in medicine or a science, engineering, computing, healthcare or education subject
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Qualification
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PG Dip
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Duration
2 years
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Start date
October 2023
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Study mode
Part-time
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Fees
£10,400 or £12,640 Home
£17,160 or £32,640 Overseas
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Delivered by
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Location
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Blended (online and on-campus)
-
Minimum entry standard 2023
-
2:1 in medicine or a science, engineering, computing, healthcare or education subject
Course overview
Challenge and develop your thinking and practice as a surgical educator on this intensive online course.
You'll explore unique features of surgical practice with teaching delivered by a wide range of clinical educators firmly embedded in surgical and medical communities.
The online programme features collaborative modules with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's Faculty of Surgical Trainers and our own Faculty of Medicine's Collaborative Partnerships Office.
You'll advance your theoretical and practical understanding of surgical education and the judgement needed to innovate in this field. This includes building your appreciation of how education is key to safe clinical practice and effective professional development.
This course offers two pathways to achieve a full MEd qualification, depending on whether you wish to learn fully online or via a blended learning approach.
Either pathway allows you to exit with a Postgraduate Certificate after your first year or a Postgraduate Diploma after your second.
The MEd provides an opportunity to apply your research skills to an extended project during your third year.
You'll undertake supervised research within a specialised area of surgical education and build on your knowledge of qualitative research approaches from the first two years.
Challenge and develop your thinking and practice as a surgical educator on this intensive online course.
You'll explore unique features of surgical practice with teaching delivered by a wide range of clinical educators firmly embedded in surgical and medical communities.
The online programme features collaborative modules with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's Faculty of Surgical Trainers and our own Faculty of Medicine's Collaborative Partnerships Office.
You'll advance your theoretical and practical understanding of surgical education and the judgement needed to innovate in this field.
This includes building your appreciation of how education is key to safe clinical practice and effective professional development.
Structure
This page reflects the latest version of the curriculum for this year of entry. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
You’ll study the following core modules during your first two years.
You’ll also carry out an extended research project during your third year to achieve the MEd qualification.
The first year is fully online for both the online Diploma, blended Diploma and PG Cert pathways. The second year can be taken fully online (online Diploma) or as a mixture of online and face-to-face learning (blended Diploma).
Core modules
Explore the discipline, key practices and values of surgical education so that you can start to examine your own current understanding and approach to teaching.
Examine methods of assessment commonly used across medical education stages, and relate assessment practice to the underpinning principles that support learning.
Develop surgeon educator skills and the knowledge to become a more effective trainer and supervisor in surgical environments.
Analyse principles, models and methods of learning design and evaluation for surgical education at varying levels.
Assess key policy frameworks and contexts that impact surgical education and the work of a surgical educator.
Advance your understanding of educational theories of learning, and explore good practice in more specialised areas of surgical education.
Learn how to critically appraise the use of a range of simulation approaches and related technologies within surgical education.
Undertake deep study into a specific area of surgical education for the purpose of reviewing and identifying a suitable area for future research.
You'll undertake supervised research in surgical education in an area of professional educational interest.
This will expand your research abilities to include educational research approaches.
The project will develop your ability to design, carry out and write up a relevant piece of education research in the form of a dissertation.
You’ll study the following core modules during your first two years.
You’ll also carry out an extended research project during your third year to achieve the MEd qualification.
The first year is fully online for both the online Diploma and blended Diploma pathways.The second year can be taken fully online (online Diploma) or as a mixture of online and face-to-face learning (blended Diploma).
Core modules
Explore the discipline, key practices and values of surgical education so that you can start to examine your own current understanding and approach to teaching.
Examine methods of assessment commonly used across medical education stages, and relate assessment practice to the underpinning principles that support learning.
Develop surgeon educator skills and the knowledge to become a more effective trainer and supervisor in surgical environments.
Analyse principles, models and methods of learning design and evaluation for surgical education at varying levels.
Assess key policy frameworks and contexts that impact surgical education and the work of a surgical educator.
Advance your understanding of educational theories of learning, and explore good practice in more specialised areas of surgical education.
Learn how to critically appraise the use of a range of simulation approaches and related technologies within surgical education.
Undertake deep study into a specific area of surgical education for the purpose of reviewing and identifying a suitable area for future research.
Teaching and assessment
Balance of teaching and learning
Key
- Lectures, tutorials and group work
- Independent study
Year 1
- 20% Lectures, tutorials and group work
- 80% Independent study
Year 2
- 15% Lectures, tutorials and group work
- 85% Independent study
Year 3
- 10% Lectures, tutorials and group work
- 90% Independent study
Teaching and learning methods
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Virtual learning environment
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Small group tutorials
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Flipped classroom
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Webinars
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Journal clubs
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Discussion boards
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Readings
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Independent study
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Simulation and role play
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Workshops
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Lectures
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Seminars
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Tutorials
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Peer assessment
Balance of assessment
Key
- Coursework
- Practical
- 70% Coursework
- 30% Practical
Assessment methods
-
Coursework
-
Practical
Balance of teaching and learning
Key
- Lectures, tutorials and group work
- Independent study
Year 1
- 20% Lectures, tutorials and group work
- 80% Independent study
Year 2
- 15% Lectures, tutorials and group work
- 85% Independent study
Teaching and learning methods
-
Virtual learning environment
-
Small group tutorials
-
Flipped classroom
-
Webinars
-
Journal clubs
-
Discussion boards
-
Readings
-
Independent study
-
Simulation and role play
-
Workshops
-
Lectures
-
Seminars
-
Tutorials
-
Peer assessment
Balance of assessment
Key
- Coursework
- Practical
- 77% Coursework
- 23% Practical
Assessment methods
-
Coursework
-
Practical
Entry requirements
How to apply
Apply online
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can choose up to two courses.
Find out more about how to apply for a Master's course, including references and personal statements.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
Tuition fees
Home fee
PG Dip (Online)
£10,400
PG Dip (Blended)
£12,640
MEd (Blended)
£15,800
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the College, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2022-23 entry, the maximum amount is £11,836. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Overseas fee
PG Dip (Online)
£17,160
PG Dip (Blended)
£32,640
MEd (Blended)
£40,800
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the College, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2022-23 entry, the maximum amount is £11,836. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Your future career
Develop the essential core knowledge and skills for a surgical career or related professions.
Use these courses if you're a senior in your 'first' profession and want to develop your expertise for a role you may have taken on without full academic training.
Your degree will prepare you to take on increased educational responsibility in universities, trusts, and professional bodies, as well as influence policy and practice.
You’ll also be empowered to carry out research in surgical education.
Further links
Contact the department
Course Director: Professor Roger Kneebone
Deputy Director: Dr Kirsten Dalrymple
Visit the Department of Surgery and Cancer website.

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There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications