Application Process
There is a simple and quick application process to apply for the East of England Post-Graduate Certification in Medical Education bursary. This bursary is for up to £3000 (the approximate cost of the PGCert, varying slightly on which University the qualification is studied at).
Applications for the bursary open around March and close around April of every year, you will get an email explaining the process.
Applicants must first ensure they are eligible: generally this is a trainee who has received an outcome 1 in their last ARCP, has a substantive post in the East of England and has at least one year remaining until their CCT date. Applicants must also ensure they have a signed document from their TPD with their approval to be considered eligible.
Once applicants have met these essential criteria, their application is then reviewed and scored by two separate panel members from HEE EoE. The application form initially asks you to rank preferences of University (there are generally around 6 universities to apply for). All universities have their individual courses and application processes with vast information on their websites. If successful in obtaining the bursary, applicants are then instructed to apply to the university that they were granted the bursary for.
The second part of the application form which is graded involves 2 white box questions:
1) the contributions you have made to medical education and
2) how you will aim to improve medical education in EoE.
Both responses are up to 150 words only. The application form is then signed and submitted digitally, along with the aforementioned TPD approval form.
How I Found the Course ( James Baker ST2 Paediatrics)
I applied for the EoE bursary in 2020 and was successful, receiving a bursary for my 2nd choice of University: Anglia Ruskin. I have found the PGCert so far very enjoyable. At ARU, the PGCert consists of 2 semesters. Each semester has 5 webinars at 1900 on Tuesday evenings.
There are also assessments for each semester. The first semester I took, Principles of Medical and Healthcare Education, required me to submit a teaching plan, perform a filmed teaching session of my choice for an hour, and then write a post-session reflective essay. The second semester, Philosophies of Medical and Healthcare Education, required me to complete a poster and 5-minute video of an educational thinker and then write an essay critiquing a curriculum of my choice.
Where to Apply and Useful Links
EoE bursary application and information:
https://heeoe.hee.nhs.uk/faculty/bursary-funding
ARU PGCert application and information:
https://aru.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/medical-and-healthcare-education-pgcert
Other PGCert application and information for other universities can be found online via university websites.