Education Scholarship Accelerator Program (ESAP)

“Education Scholarship is an umbrella term which can encompass both research and innovation in health professions education. Quality in education scholarship is attained through work that is: peer-reviewed, publicly disseminated and provides a platform that others can build on.”  

(Canadian Association of Medical Education 2012) 

The course will consist of eight 3-hour virtual weekly workshops (Wednesday mornings 9:30 am -12:30 pm from June 5 to July 24, 2024) on core topics that build on the knowledge and skills required for the learner to complete a personal scholarly project under the supervision of a WCH faculty or staff member. The workshops will be facilitated by experts in the field and provide an opportunity to work and reflect on one’s project. Microsoft Teams will be utilized to deliver course content. Some recorded content may be available for participants to utilize at their own pace and need.  

Participants will be expected to develop and work through an education project from the initial idea through to dissemination in class presentations. Between workshops, on their own time, participants will complete specific tasks related to their project with their supervisor’s support. Each student’s time commitment will be negotiated with their supervisor but is expected to be approximately 15 hours per week.  

Students are expected to attend all the workshops and complete the course work to obtain a course completion certificate.  

The goals of ESAP are to develop basic competencies in education scholarship as well as to advance/ produce a scholarly project by the end of the course. In addition, it is hoped that the course will help create a community of practice amongst participants and faculty and staff at WCH and support their development as education scholars.  

Students will receive project support via personalized consultations with the Course Director, a WCH education scientist (supervisors are also welcome to join these consultations). 

Eight weekly virtual sessions will be held on Wednesday mornings from 9:30-12:30, starting on Wednesday June 5, 2024.  Sessions will relate to learners’ education scholarship projects and include topics like: What is Education Scholarship? Setting Clear Goals and Research Questions, Study Methods, Ethics, Authorships and Dissemination, and a Panel Discussion on Education Scholarship and Careers. The summer will culminate in a virtual, adjudicated poster presentation session by learners about their projects on Wednesday July 24, 2024. 

Learners are expected to attend and participate in all virtual sessions, work with their supervisors on an education scholarship project, and present their work in a final adjudicated poster session. Part-time commitment to project completion is expected as agreed upon with the learner’s supervisor. 

A Certificate of Completion will be issued by the Learning Institute to participants who satisfactorily complete ESAP. Learners are evaluated on a pass/fail basis. This year, there is no terminal examination or report beyond the adjudicated poster presentations. Learners are encouraged to continue working with their supervisors to disseminate project outcomes.  

We consider the course “priceless”. There is no cost for students working with WCH faculty and staff. Student positions are generally unpaid, but some supervisors may have funding available.