Advanced training in emergency medicine: a pedagogical journey from didactic teachers to virtual problems

As trainee numbers and the geographical spread of training departments have increased, the model of weekly face-to-face teaching has come under strain because of long travel times. This has been compounded by a reduction in the total number of hours worked by trainees. Furthermore the traditional teacher centred educational programme has been challenged as unfit for purpose on grounds of both content and style.

This article describes two shifts in the delivery of the programme. The first involved migration from a didactic delivery to a problem-based model; the second a gradual shift to the internet culminating in implementation of a web based virtual learning environment.

The principles outlined in this paper are widely applicable and will be of interest to all clinical educators within the specialty, both within the UK and overseas.