While the use of simulation practices in health sciences have been increasing globally since 1960's, it has been widely used in our country since 2000's. It all began with the use of simple manikins and models limited to imitating anatomic structures in various fields. It is now a structured educational technique or an approach that is more than a technological improvement. Many institutions are founding simulation centers. This centers provide opportunities not only for uniprofessional trainings but also for multiprofessional or interprofessional trainings. Those centers are also special facilities where health professional are able to achieve the importance of patient safety which has been increasingly emphasized. The improvement of simulation with the support of hardware and software systems has caused the growing need for well-trained staff. A new scientific expert has been defined as the one competent in developing simulation based educational programs, carry out those programs in the context of hardware, software and education, manage the situations, transfer those techniques into research and healthcare services. There is an absolute need for the programs graduating an workforce who are competent and experienced in the wide range of simulation techniques, and conduct academic studies and research in this field. Moreover, those programs will lead to create a well defined scientific field that can meet the specific and special expectations for education and assessment in health sciences.
Master's Degree
QF-EHEA: 2
EQF-LLL: 7
Masters Program in Medical Education is a 2-academic year (4-semester) program. Program requires completion of the courses not less than 21 credits (120 ECTS), the course of special subjects and a thesis. C1 level is required to be successful in the courses. The student who completed the compulsory courses can propose a thesis after the second semester. The subject and the possible title of the thesis should be assigned by the student and the consultant. It should be evaluated by the academic council. The results should be written regarding the directory of writing thesis. The thesis should be presented to a jury. The jury must evaluate the thesis as successful.Â
The students who completed successfully at least one semester at an equivalent program in a national institution or abroad can have the opportunity of the lateral transfer or the approval of the equivalent courses completed in a different institution. The applications are accepted in case of having appropriate quota, the student's meeting of the requirements, and having at least B3 for every course.
The lateral transfer of a student or the approval of the courses are evaluated in the academic council of the department and the board of the institute.
The aim of the program is to have graduates who are able to; define the characteristics of simulation techniques in the context of software, hardware and education, develop uniprofessional or interprofessional educational programs using various simulation techinques prioritizing patient safety, carry out research in this field regarding ethical principles, use various healthcare utilities with varying simulation techniques.
Regarding the global programs, students graduating from the programs related to “simulation in health sciences” can find job in any educational, service and research facilities/departments of health sciences schools. The most known facilities are clinical skills laboratories. This degree has been the required to get a job at simulation centers for the last 20 years. The other prefered places are the laboratories designed for educational research, or R&D laboratories established for simulation based studies. The experts for training, assessment and research have been employed at the centers where several measurement and assessment activities are held in the field of health sciences. Few people who has completed their education abroad, already got a position in such centers. Health sciences schools have been using increasing number of simulation activities in their institutions; they are in need of well-trained staff.
QF-EHEA: 3
EQF-LLL: 8
The courses in the program are semester based. In the first year of the program, courses are mostly lecture based, the last year covering the thesis has practical activities as well. Minimum 120 ECTS should be gathered in order to graduate from the program. 1 ECTS corresponds 30 hours student workload.
The first year is organized to fulfill the fundamental theorethical lectures which are the base for further studies in simulation. They prepare the students for the following year to plan the thesis. In the first two semesters, 50% of the courses are electives. Elective courses are included in both semesters to meet the students' interest areas. Students can choose courses from the university's other programs or even from other universities after consultant's approval.
The measurement and evaluation methods for each course are described in the related sections by the responsible tutor. Examinations, grading system and pass/fail issues are described in the related legistlations.
Students who complete successfully the courses and get the appropriate credits in the first year prepare their thesis in the second year. They present their thesis to a jury, and are evaluated. When they complete that process they can graduate with the title of master's degree in simulation in health sciences.
1. Full Time Education
Prof. Melih Elçin, MD, MSc, CHSE
melcin@hacettepe.edu.tr
0 312 3052617