In picture: Prof Sue Kidson who handed over the prizes, with this year's prize winners

Research and innovation in education were celebrated recently when the Education Development Unit hosted the 5th Annual Health Education Research Day. Dr Geney Gunston's presentation on "Generic learning skills in academically-at-risk medical students: development programme bridges the gap" walked away with top honours. The research showed how the intervention programme for medical students has been able to close the generic learning skills gap for academically-at-risk students lacking these skills on entry to medical school. Presentations by Veronica Mitchell and Richard Burman took second and third prize respectively. Mitchell described how health care for sexual and gender minorities is a neglected aspect of instruction in the MBChB clinical curriculum and how its successful introduction at UCT has been well received. Reporting on behalf of a group of student researchers, Burman described the effect of specific components of the UCT MBChB programme on medical students' attitudes to research.

Two keynotes from well-established researchers, Prof Juanita Bezuidenhout and Vanessa Burch, addressed the theme of "Research local and global". The presentations challenged delegates to focus on research that will impact on practice. Thinking bigger in terms of what educational research to do and the significance of collaborating with others to ensure research has a greater impact on practice were among the issues addressed. Burch noted that if we establish projects that are exciting and relevant we could create a slipstream which will make it easier for others to get involved.

The rest of the day was fast paced, with presentations on a range innovative and interesting educational work being done in the Faculty. Topics ranged from whether physiotherapy students in the clinical setting learn more effectively in a small group from peers or from a clinical educator to the career paths of Public Health Medicine specialists in South Africa, the development and piloting of low resource airway simulation models in Tanzania and how interns and medical officers learn neonatal care and Orthopaedics.

Click here to see the abstract book. If you missed the day, we have made the PowerPoint slides as well as some photos and audio recordings via this link (on the FHS Staff Vula site).