Medical Education Science

One of the major recent paradigm shifts in medical education has been the realization that the skillset of education leaders and scholars is not automatically conferred with a medical degree or residency diploma. Like any other set of knowledge and skill, it must be cultivated and practiced. Whether you’re considering a role as a leader in undergraduate medical education, a residency program, or department (or even as an innovator at your future education start-up), fellowship training is more and more considered a prerequisite.

The University of Colorado Fellowship in Medical Education Science is designed to provide all of the essential experience and skills needed to be a medical education innovator and leader. Because innovation in education is so closely tied to scholarship, our fellowship emphasizes the science of education – from evidence-based education theory and principles of curriculum design to program evaluation and research methodology – to ensure fellows graduate with skills that will accelerate their careers as educators. 

Fellows are contracted for 1,697 clinical hours over their 24 months of fellowship (approximately 8 shifts per month) and primarily work in the emergency department at the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, CO, a world-class academic medical center with advanced trauma, burn, and stroke capabilities. Fellows also have the opportunity to work at UCHealth-affiliated freestanding emergency departments located throughout the Denver metro area.

Fellows hone their clinical skills in a rigorous academic environment while supervising, teaching, and providing feedback to medical students (MS1-4) and residents (PGY1-4). The University of Colorado Hospital Emergency Department is a major rotation site for Denver Health emergency medicine residents and most shifts are worked with emergency medicine residents. If not already board-certified at the time of matriculation, fellows are expected to pursue board-certification during fellowship. 

The curriculum for the Fellowship in Medical Education is designed to offer flexibility while ensuring that fellows have the foundational knowledge they’ll need to be successful in achieving their career goals. They work with experienced faculty to develop their skills as educators as they teach and lead courses for medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty. At the same time, they gain experience as an educational innovators and scholars while leading curricular change projects, identifying research questions, applying for grant funding, and sharing their work with regional and national audiences.

Whether it’s big-picture mission-driven strategy or daily nuts and bolts of program administration, our program offers fellows opportunities for involvement in education leadership in medical student education, resident education, faculty development, and departmental education strategy. Fellows are expected to participate in multiple committees, including the Denver Health Residency in Emergency Medicine Education and Program Evaluation and Advisory (PEAC) committees and Blue Affinity Group (our departmental education collaboration and strategy group), with the opportunity for more involvement as their time and interests dictate. As education leaders, fellows may also have an opportunity to serve as mentors for students and residents.

The Fellowship in Medical Education Science partners with the University of Colorado Denver School of Education to offer a Personalized, Professional Master of Arts Degree. This unique program allows the fellow to design a curriculum that is tailored to their career goals.

This program also expects participation in the Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) at Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine (CORD) Program and one other cohort-based advanced training program (fellows work with the fellowship director and mentors to choose the right one). During these experiences, they’ll hone important teaching and research skills while growing their networks of emergency medicine education scholars.

As academic faculty, fellows are expected to attend 75% of weekly Case Conferences (except when working clinically, after overnight shifts, and while on vacation) and >50% of faculty meetings. Fellows are also expected participate in Department of Emergency Medicine quality improvement initiatives.

First-year fellows are compensated according to the University of Colorado post-graduate year (PGY)-based salary pay scale. Expected salary for second-year fellows is $90,000. Travel support of $1,500 per year and $3,000 maximum for duration of appointment is available for scientific and educational presentations.

Use our institutional application to submit your CV, cover letter, and 2 letters of recommendation by October 1 to be considered for matriculation the following July.