New Program Approved in the School of Medicine

Published on Wednesday, November 20, 2024

By: Dr. Lecretia Buckley

In August of this year, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) approved a new master's level program within the School of Medicine (SOM), the Master of Science in Health Professions Education (MS HPE). This program is tailored for clinical professionals or basic scientists seeking to enhance their knowledge and competencies in teaching, curriculum development, learning theories, assessment methods, and the scholarship of teaching in the field of health professions.

The MS HPE will be delivered online and taught by faculty members who possess expertise in educational practices, learning theories, assessment techniques, and the scholarship of teaching and learning, alongside their backgrounds in biomedical sciences. Graduates of this program will be equipped to create curricular materials and assessments that are aligned with contemporary learning theories, as well as to undertake scholarly projects that advance the teaching and learning of health professions content.

This initiative addresses the increasing demand for faculty skilled in instructing healthcare professionals. Many existing programs are constrained by a shortage of qualified faculty in this specific field. Although the MS HPE program will be available to students from institutions beyond the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), a recent survey of UMMC faculty highlighted a significant interest in such a program. Out of 212 faculty members who participated in the survey, nearly all (except one) confirmed their affiliation with UMMC. While 98% of respondents reported that they taught or supervised learners, less than 25% reported having formal training in teaching or learning theories. The proposed program will fill a significant gap given that 96% of the respondents indicated that they would like to improve their skills in teaching or assessing learners. When asked if they were interested in a formal program to improve their skills in teaching or assessing learners, 86% of the respondents said yes.

The program has been approved by its host department, the Department of Advanced Biomedical Education (DABE); the SOM Curriculum Committee; and IHL. The next phase is approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Once approved by SACSCOC, DABE will have the green light to finalize course development, advertise the program, and accept new students. The timeline projects that the program’s first students will begin the program in Fall 2026.