What is medical education research?
Medical education science is an interdisciplinary field of knowledge that draws upon explanatory models and perspectives from medicine, nursing science, and behavioural science—particularly pedagogy, but also psychology, sociology, and social anthropology. Within the research area of medical education, learning processes, conditions for learning, and professional development within a healthcare context are investigated.
Research in health professions education covers both individual and system levels, within academia as well as health and medical care. Research questions address both knowledge acquisition and workplace learning. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches are used depending on the nature of the research. Despite its name, the research encompasses learning not only in the medical profession but within all health professions.
To facilitate the important application of findings in practice, we also apply principles from implementation research.