CHPE
Welcome to Stellenbosch University

​Department of Health Professions Education​

Introducing the Department of Health Professions Education (DHPE)

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We're excited to announce that the Centre for Health Professions Education (CHPE) has changed its name to the Department of Health Professions Education (DHPE).

Over the past 20 years, our core academic project has evolved, and we believe that this new name better represents who we are today and where we're headed in the future. Our core mission remains the same, which is to: offer academic leadership towards establishing and sustaining an enabling environment within which meaningful learning and teaching can flourish and to influence the pratcice of learning and teaching drawing on existing scholarship while contributing to the body of knowledge through our own research; and informed by the principles of transformative learning; active citizenship and social accountability.

While our name is new, our commitment to excellence in scientific practice, culture and diversity, community-oriented approach, interdisciplinarity, and learning-centred culture remains as strong as ever. We're still the same great team, providing the exceptional academic services you've come to expect from us.​


Coming soon: HPE in Mzansi

HPE.jpgThe DHPE, in conjunction with the Digital Education and Innovation (DEI) Team, are in the process of embarking on a new and exciting project: a podcast.​

We'll be sitting down with some of the members of the DHPE to discuss what they've been working on, especially in terms of their research. You can look forward to hearing from the likes of Prof Karin Baatjes, Prof Susan van Schalkwyk, Prof Elize Archer, Dr Rhoda Meyer, Dr Mariette Volschenk, and Dr Anthea Hansen.​



SAAHE 2024 Conference

SAAHE.jpgThe DHPE had a fantastic time at the SAAHE 2024 Conference this week. We presented scholarly work, networked with fellow health professions educators, and and contributed to the knowledge economy in HPE.

This year's theme was DECODING AND RECODING TO TRANSFORM FOR CONTEXTUALLY RELEVANT HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION.

It highlights the need to rethink health professional education in our changing healthcare landscape. With these changes, it is important to ensure our education remains relevant, adaptable, and inclusive.


Introducing Our New CHPE LinkedIn Page: Connect and Engage with Us! 

Welcome to the official LinkedIn page of the Center for Healthcare Professional Education (CHPE)! We're thrilled to launch this platform to foster meaningful connections, share insights, and collaborate with professionals passionate about advancing healthcare education. Join us to stay updated on the latest trends, events, and opportunities in the field. Let's work together to empower the future of healthcare education!

Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/centre-for-health-professions-education/

 

Teaching in the Health Professions Short Course

TLA SC.jpgThe Centre for Health Professions Education (CHPE) recently hosted a short course focussed on enhancing teaching, learning and assessment (T,L,A) practices in the health professions. The course covered a wide range of topics, including being and becoming a health professions educator, curriculum transformation, learning, student-centered pedagogies, workplace-based learning, assessment, and feedback, and the integration of digital education and innovation in T, L, A.

Throughout the programme, attendees were also encouraged to reflect on their own teaching experiences, share best practices, and collaborate with peers from different healthcare disciplines. This cross-disciplinary exchange facilitated rich discussions and fostered a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in health professions education.​


SU Lecturers Selected for National Teaching Fellowships

Archer.jpgIt is with delight that we share the wonderful news that Professor Elize Archer has been chosen for the esteemed TAU National Fellowship. This recognition is a testament to her exceptional dedication and scholarly prowess. Elize, your achievement fills us with immense pride. 

We would also like to extend congratulations to Dr. Shantel Windvogel for her selection, representing the two outstanding individuals chosen from FMHS. This collective success reflects the calibre of talent within our faculty. 

We eagerly anticipate the impactful contributions that Elize and Dr. Shantel Windvogel will make through their fellowship endeavors. Their dedication to advancing knowledge and scholarship is commendable, and we are confident that their work will greatly benefit our academic community.


Cupcake Exchange: Supporting the Tygerberg Pantry Project

The Center for Health Professions Education successfully held a delightful initiative aimed at supporting the Tygerberg Pantry Project. We invited the faculty of FMHS to join us for a cupcake exchange event. 

In this exchange, you had the opportunity to contribute to a worthy cause by donating one or more non-perishable food items. In return for your generous donation, donors were gifted with a delectable cupcake as a token of our appreciation. 

The donated items were directed towards the Tygerberg Pantry Project, assisting in providing essential resources to those students in need.​

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Mphil programme kick off

Excitement fills the air as the MPhil program kicks off! To the students of 2024, the CHPE wishes to extend our warmest wishes for a journey filled with discovery, growth, and success. May this academic journey be one of embracing challenges, unlocking potentials, and making lasting contributions. Best of luck on this remarkable academic adventure!'

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1st year​
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 2nd year

The Path to Achievement and Success

Hansen.jpgThe CHPE wishes to congratulate Dr Anthea Hansen for a big achievement of having her article discussed by some of the top HPE scholars in the world!   She was nominated by Prof Sa'ad Lahri and the hosts of the podcast were Jason R. Frank,  Jonathan Sherbino, Lara Varpio and Linda Snell. 

The article that was discussed was:

Hansen, A., Engel-Hills, P., Jacobs, C., Blitz, J., Cooke, R., Hess-April, L., Leisegang, K., Naidoo, N., Volschenk, M., & van Schalkwyk, S. (2023). Understandings and practices: Towards socially responsive curricula for the health professions. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 28(4), 1131–1149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459​-023-10207-0 

Here is the link for the Podcast- please listen to it!

#PAPERsPodcast #MedicalEducation #MedEd #HealthProfessionsEducation #HPE
 

 

Live Streaming Kickoff: Igniting Engagement, Connection, and Excitement!

Studio.jpgExciting News! Our studio has launched its first livestreaming session of 2024 featuring the manikin baby from our skills lab. Come explore, engage, and book your own livestream experience today!

Log a ticket for our studio services: Studio Link

CHPE resource page link








Lizanne.jpgSecuring Excellence: A Spotlight on the 2024 FINLO Grant Recipient 

Congratulations to Lizanne (van der Walt) on being awarded the FINLO grant for 2024. The Centre for Health Professions Education (CHPE) is pleased to announce that your submission has been accepted without requiring any revisions. We anticipate further updates on additional FINLO grants in the coming weeks. ​





Inspiring Hope through Social Accountability 

CHPE's Stationery drive at Mokone Primary School in Langa

The CHPE recently embarked on a project aimed to support a school in one of our local communities. Our staff donated stationery, reading books and school uniforms to Mokone Primary School in Langa.  Whilst this was a small gesture, we believe that it has the potential to create a ripple effect of change. The donations were well received by the Principal Mr Raphahlelo, who responded by saying that the journey of a child from this school to university is often laden with challenges, but these small acts of kindness undoubtedly serve as enablers to help learners navigate the hurdles and to emerge as confident, capable individuals.​

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Mariette.jpgEducational Eminence: Celebrating the 2024/25 SU Teaching Fellowship Awardee

SU Teaching Fellowship for 2024/25.

Please allow us to extend my sincere congratulations to Mariette on her remarkable achievement. It is with great pleasure to announce Mariette's selection as the recipient of the Teaching Fellowship at CTL for the year 2024. This prestigious honor is a testament to Mariette's dedication and scholarly prowess. The CHPE commend Mariette for this significant accomplishment, and we have every confidence that this fellowship will facilitate the pursuit of her scholarly endeavors, which she has ardently aspired to undertake since completing her doctoral studies.​




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We are really excited to announce the recently released edition of Researching Medical Education (2022). This book offers an excellent guide to educational research within the context of the healthcare professions. Prof Jennifer Cleland, an extraordinary professor at the CHPE co-edited the book, while Prof Susan van Schalkwyk (Director at the CHPE) and Dr Rhoda Meyer (Lecturer at the CHPE) co-authored a chapter. This chapter titled 'Developing the research question: setting the course for your research travels', focuses on the core of the research process, which is the research question. A metaphor of triple distillation is used where readers are taken on a journey through the various processes of developing a research question.

RESEARCHING MEDICAL EDUCATION

Researching Medical Education is an authoritative guide to excellence in educational research within the healthcare professions presented by the Association for the Study of Medical Education and AMEE. This text provides readers with key foundational knowledge, while introducing a range of theories and how to use them, illustrating a diversity of methods and their use, and giving guidance on practical researcher development. By linking theory, design, and methods across the spectrum of health professions education research, the text supports the improvement of quality, capacity building, and knowledge generation. 

Researching Medical Education Edition 2 is now available via Amazon and Wiley


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We would like to congratulate Prof Susan van Schalkwyk on receiving one of the 2022 Chancellor's awards. This prestigious award focuses on sustained excellence in research, innovation, learning and teaching, as well as social impact and/or professional services.





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Prof Elize Archer was invited as the guest speaker at the Paray Nursing College annual graduation in the Lesotho highlands. Elize is also the chairperson of their Senate. On the last day the staff at the college presented her with a traditional Lesotho blanket as a token of appreciation. Elize, you make us proud!!​





IMG_2721.jpgAnnual Academic Day 2022

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences hosted its 66th Annual Academic Day on the afternoons of Wednesday 31 Aufust and Thursday 1 September 2022. All presentations submitted were presented in either oral or poster format in a set of 9 multidisciplinary tracks. For the first time in history, Health Professions Education had its own track with a total of 11 oral presentations. Prof Cecilia Jacobs presented our State-of -the-Art talk titled " Health Professions Education - whence and whither?"

Thank you to all the presenters and participants. It was a day to remember.

Access the programme here: Final Programme - 66th Annual Academic Day - 31 Aug 2022-red.pdf


SUSAN 1.jpg SAAHE best Publication Award 2022 ​​

Congratulations to Prof Susan van Schalkwyk and her author team with this big achievement!! They have been awarded the SA​AHE best Publication award for 2022 with their Scoping review on Transformative learning. Susan, we are proud of you.

Van Schalkwyk, S.C., Hafler, J., Brewer, T.F., Maley, M.A., Margolis, C., McNamee, L., Meyer, I., Peluso, M.J., Schmutz, A.M., Spak, J.M. and Davies, D., 2019. Transformative learning as pedagogy for the health professions: a scoping review. Medical education, 53(6), pp.547-558.



Predac Rhoda.PNGPREDAC 2022 

Rhoda Meyer recently attended a PREDAC session at the STIAS. The theme for the session was 'thinking out of the box' and participants were encouraged to think differently about Teaching, Learning, and Assessment as well as the way they see themselves. To stimulate this idea of thinking differently, an artist was present at the session to create caricatures of each attendee. 

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Rhoda Meyer.jpgA huge congratulations to our colleague Dr Mariette Volschenk (PhD) who graduated her PhD on 14 December 2021

Mariette's PhD dissertation is entitled 'Identity trajectories of health professions educators involved in Master’s-level Health Professions Education studies'. Below follows a short summary of the study.
 
Master’s programmes in health professions education aim to meet a global demand for producing educational scholars and leaders. This multiple case study, situated within an interpretivist paradigm explored educational master’s candidates’ learning and identity trajectories. It highlighted several factors that may enable or constrain the development of educational leaders and scholars in the context of these programmes. Factors include transitional challenges inherent to master’s studies in education, the negotiation of an educator identity across the boundaries of epistemologically and ontologically diverse communities of practice, and the influence of organisational culture on the sustainability of the educational scholar and leader identity.

Photo: Left: Prof Susan v Scalkwyk / Right: Dr M Volschenk​


 

Rhoda Meyer.jpgCongratulations Mariette Volschenk!

Please join us in congratulating Mariette Volschenk who has been announced the winner of the best Research presentation at the SoTL conference. Mariette presented on her recently completed doctoral research. A really great presentation that you can access here.

We are very proud, Mariette. Well done!​




 

Rhoda Meyer.jpgCongratulations Dr Rhoda Meyer!!

As part of her PhD, Rhoda Meyer conducted a study on 'The private healthcare context as an environment for learning. Using a qualitative, interpretivist paradigm, the study set out to explore how a specific private healthcare environment influences the learning experiences of nursing students. This study makes a contribution to nurse education by demonstrating the complexity of the learning environment.​





 

Teaching and Learning at the FMHS is alive and well!

The CHPE would like to report the huge contribution and representation the academics from the FMHS had at the recent SAAHE (Southern African Association for Health Professions Education) conference. The conference was held virtually from 21-25 June and 161 people registered. The conference was hosted by all the Higher Education institutions in the Western Cape and Elize Archer (CHPE) was part of the Local organizing committee as well as the Chairperson of the Scientific committee.  One of the two keynotes was done by Prof Susan van Schalkwyk. What is noteworthy is that Prof Susan van Schalkwyk was also the winner of the SAAHE Distinguished Educator Award for 2021.

See below for a breakdown summary of the number of participants from various divisions/departments at the FMHS involved at SAAHE 2021 (n=34) as well as their type of involvement. 


  • CHPE = 11 staff members involved
  • Division of Clinical Anatomy = 4 staff members involved
  • Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health = 4 staff members involved
  • Division of Physiotherapy = 6 staff members involved
  • Division of Research Development and Support = 2 staff members involved
  • Department of Medicine = 1 staff member involved
  • Division of Radiation Oncology = 1 staff member involved
  • Department of Nursing and Midwifery = 3 staff members involved
  • Vice-Dean: Learning and Teaching = 1 staff member involved
  • Learning Technology Systems = 1 staff member (who is affiliated with the CHPE)​

Divisions/de​​partm​ents​

Various areas of conference​ ​ ​

Keynote speak​ers Workshops Symposiums Oral presentations Posters
Centre for Health Professions Education (CHPE) 1​ 2 1​ 3 3
Division of Clinical Anatomy       1 1
Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health   2 1 2  
Division of Physiotherapy     2 4 3
Division of Research Development and Support       1 1
Department of Medicine       1  
Division of Radiation Oncology       1  
Department of Nursing and Midwifery     1 1  
Learning Technology Systems       2 1
V​ice-Dean: Learning and Teaching       1  ​


It was so good to see all the wonderful work presented from the FMHS. 


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Prof Susan van Schalkwyk earns 2021 SAAHE Distinguished Educator Award

We are proud to announce that Prof Susan van Schalkwyk has earned the 2021 SAAHE Distinguished Educator Award. Her work encompasses HPE scholarship related to learning and teaching, with a specific focus on transformative learning, strengthening postgraduate studies and academic writing.​




Ultramodern simulation unit advances health sciences training a​​​t SU

 

A brand new state-of-the-art Simulation and Clinical Skills Unit (SCSU) was recently launched at Stellenbosch University's (SU) Tygerberg Campus in Cape Town.

Read more...​

  View Media Statement (English)​ ​

  View Media Statement (Afrikaans)​ ​


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Tribute to Dr Alwyn Louw

It is with our deepest sympathies and hearts that are broken, that we share the news of the passing of our colleague and friend, Dr Alwyn Louw.

Alwyn joined the Centre for Health Professions Education in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences on 1 January 2007 - one of the first full time members of the newly formed CHPE. Since then he has become an integral part of our faculty, a much-loved and respected colleague to both students and staff, a steadfast rock.

For several years he coordinated the extended degree programme (for our MBChB and Physiotherapy students) and the Interprofessional phase of our undergraduate programmes. Many, many postgraduate students have successfully graduated as a result of his dedication, advice and care.

Alwyn loved engaging with others around learning and teaching, and always seemed to have the knack of clearing the fluff out of any conversation, and getting to the practical issue. Words cannot describe how we all feel at this time – we will miss this caring gentle giant with a wonderful sense of humour.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Elzet (also a colleague at Occupational Therapy) and his son Jaco. We also think of all of the students at the Nkosi Johnson, and previously Huis Francie, Residences for whom he was both mentor and friend.


Elize Archer.jpgDr Elize Archer electe​​d as Vice-President of SAAHE

We are proud to announce that Dr Elize Archer from the CHPE was elected as Vice-President of SAAHE.

Elize has a long history of involvement with SAAHE, serving on the Western Cape Regional Council, the Simulation Special Interest Group and as Secretary to National Council.

Elize outlined her vision and aims as Vice President of SAAHE:
My vision for SAAHE is that it becomes the space where all the people involved in Health Professions Education (educators, leaners, researchers and policy makers) meet, in order to promote excellence and scholarship in HP education.
My main aims would be:

  • To work closely with the various Special Interest Groups so that we can share common interests on a scholarly platform.
  • To promote and engage our current and future membership amongst all professions in healthcare.
  • To promote the establishment of a chapter that includes students into the SAAHE community.
  • Promote the sharing of information through networking, conferences (face to face) as well as online activities.
  • To promote and encourage inter-institutional research projects that can advance the evidence of teaching and learning in our Southern African context.
  • To assist in the process of making SAAHE more visible in the digital spaces such as our website, twitter, etc.
  • To support the President of SAAHE as required.

You can listen to the SAAHE podcast on Elize and her doctoral work by clicking here 


online.jpgTeaching in the time of ​​​Covid-19​

A very apt discussion related to ‘Teaching in the time of Covid-19’​ was held at the recent CHPE teaching and learning forum. 

This thought-provoking discussion, which included stories of how teaching and learning has changed as a result of the pandemic, was attended by 42 FMHS staff members and students. Four lecturers in the faculty shared their experiences of remote online teaching over the past few months. These experiences included what worked and what didn’t, offering a valuable set of recommendations for others. Students’ perspectives were also shared, highlighting the mostly positive experiences that was generated from this new way of teaching and learning.

   Teaching in the time of Covid-19​ ​

   Occupational Therapy Presentation​

  Online Learning Feedback​​​​​​​​​​