MERC Virtual Workshop Series 2025 - Series 2

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MERC Overview 
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The Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) program is intended to provide the knowledge necessary to understand the purposes and processes of medical education research, to become informed consumers of the medical education research literature, and to be effective collaborators in medical education research. Alone, MERC is not intended to produce independent medical education researchers.

The program is open to all who are interested in improving their educational research skills and is targeted for those with a background in medical education but relatively less experience in conducting educational research. The courses are targeted for clinicians and other educators who desire to learn research skills that will enable collaborative participation in medical education research projects.

Curriculum

Each three-hour workshop focuses on a key skill or area in educational research, emphasizes opportunities for hands-on activities and active participation, so as to maximize the applicability of the workshop principles. Six workshops of the participant's choosing must be completed to qualify for the certificate. These workshops can be taken in any order.

Certificate

Those interested in receiving a MERC Certificate must complete six workshops. In order to receive a MERC Certificate, you must first complete six workshops. Upon completion, you may request your certificate. Certificates are sent via email at the end of each month. There is no fee associated with the certificates at this time.

Registration and Fees

The cost for registration is $125 per workshop. You may register for all eight workshops in this series, or select a single workshop from our a la carte menu. 

Cancellations and Refunds

Please note that refunds will not be issued.  If you have any questions, contact the MERC staff merc@aamc.org. 

  • Scholarly Writing: Publishing Medical Education Research - 6/30/2025
    Contains 2 Component(s)

    In this session, the skills of scholarly writing will be explored through the lens of analyzing a manuscript that was accepted for publication. The participants will examine review criteria that are used by healthcare education journals and apply them to a sample manuscript. In discussing scholarly writing the participants will make a decision about the type of feedback they would give to the authors of the sample paper.

    In this session, the skills of scholarly writing will be explored through the lens of analyzing a manuscript that was accepted for publication. The participants will examine review criteria that are used by healthcare education journals and apply them to a sample manuscript. In discussing scholarly writing the participants will make a decision about the type of feedback they would give to the authors of the sample paper. 

    At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

    1. Identify the components of a scholarly publication;
    2. Discuss how to frame a problem statement;
    3. Identify an effective Research Question;
    4. Discuss whether the Design/method is appropriate to the question;
    5. Discuss whether the authors have applied the best data collection methods to the appropriate sample;
    6. Understand the Results section and how to present results in a clear manner.

    Recordings will be made available for viewing following the completion of each workshop. Viewing of recordings may not be substituted for participation in live workshops.

    This workshop is a part of the MERC Virtual Workshop 2025 - Series 2.

    Jean Bailey

    Dr. Bailey is an Associate Professor and serves as the Associate Dean for Faculty Development at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education and a M.A. in College and University Administration from Michigan State University. She has experience serving as an adjunct and full-time faculty member, in dean-level positions including chief academic officer at the community college level, and as director, assistant, and associate dean responsible for faculty development at two medical schools. Her research interests include teaching and learning, medical education scholarship, faculty and gender roles in higher education, reflection and mindfulness, and work/life navigation.

  • Data Management and Preparing for Statistical Consultation - 6/23/2025
    Contains 2 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 06/23/2025 at 3:00 PM (EDT)

    This workshop helps participants prepare their data for analysis and be able to answer questions about their data that a statistician will likely ask when providing consultation.

    This workshop helps participants prepare their data for analysis and be able to answer questions about their data that a statistician will likely ask when providing consultation. 

    At the end of the workshop the participants will be able to:

    1. Collect data;
    2. Set up data files;
    3. Enter data into data files;
    4. Check and clean data prior to analysis;
    5. Compare my sample to my population;
    6. Address statistical issues discussed during consultation with a statistician (e.g., Type I & II errors, power, effect sizes).

    Recordings will be made available for viewing following the completion of each workshop. Viewing of recordings may not be substituted for participation in live workshops.

    This workshop is a part of the MERC Virtual Workshop 2025 - Series 2.

    Cayla Teal

    Dr. Cayla R. Teal is the Associate Dean for Assessment and Evaluation and an Education Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine (KUSOM).  Dr. Teal received her B.A. degree in Chemistry from William Jewell College and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Community/Clinical Psychology from Wichita State University, with emphases in applied research methods and psychometrics. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Health Services Research at the Center of Innovation in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety at the Michael E. DeBakey Houston VA Medical Center.  She served as the Director of Educational Evaluation and Research at Baylor College of Medicine and an Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Evaluation and Assessment at Texas A&M College of Medicine prior to coming to KUSOM.  Dr. Teal is responsible for the assessment of student performance in and program evaluation of the KUSOM’s curriculum and a member of its continuous quality improvement team.  She is a mixed-methods medical education researcher, an Associate Editor for Medical Education Online, a Deputy Editor for Teaching and Learning in Medicine, teaching faculty for AAMC Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) program, and a 2022 AMA Scholar in Health Systems Science.  Dr. Teal recently completed her two-year term as the national chair for the Medical Education Scholarship, Research and Evaluation (MESRE) section at the AAMC’s Group on Educational Affairs (GEA) and serves as the Treasurer for the Society of Directors of Research in Medical Education (SDRME). 

  • Introduction to Qualitative Data Collection Methods - 6/16/2025
    Contains 2 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 06/16/2025 at 3:00 PM (EDT)

    This workshop is intended for physicians and generalists in medical education, as well as faculty and staff involved in student affairs, who wish to develop perspectives and skills for collecting qualitative data, such as data from focus group discussions, interviews, observation field notes, and responses to open-ended questions—used in admissions processes, program development, curriculum evaluation, needs assessments, performance evaluation, and various scholarship and research applications.

    This workshop is intended for physicians and generalists in medical education, as well as faculty and staff involved in student affairs, who wish to develop perspectives and skills for collecting qualitative data, such as data from focus group discussions, interviews, observation field notes, and responses to open-ended questions—used in admissions processes, program development, curriculum evaluation, needs assessments, performance evaluation, and various scholarship and research applications.

    After participating in this workshop, learners will be able to:

    1. Demonstrate applied knowledge of the appropriate selection, use, and standards for rigor of some common methods for collection of qualitative data;
    2. Generate research questions appropriate for qualitative studies and choose appropriate data collection methods;
    3. Demonstrate applied knowledge of approaches to achieve rigor in the design of qualitative studies and collection of qualitative data;
    4. Demonstrate essential skills required for conducting focus groups

    Recordings will be made available for viewing following the completion of each workshop. Viewing of recordings may not be substituted for participation in live workshops.

    This workshop is a part of the MERC Virtual Workshop 2025 - Series 2.

    Thomas Delaney

    Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Senior Faculty Advisor in the Division of Public Health at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine

    Dr. Tom Delaney is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Senior Faculty Advisor in the Division of Public Health at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine. He is the Director of the Four Pines Fellowship, a Foundation-level combined research and clinical learning experience focused on mental health and suicide prevention. He earned his BA from Rutgers University and MA and PhD from the University of Denver in Psychology with a focus on research and experimental methods. He has developed and taught courses across medical and other graduate health care programs in areas including biostatics, research methods, public health, and mental health. He is the Course Director for Culminating Project Experience in which students work in small teams to design, conduct and report on a public health research project. In 2020 he was recognized as an Expert Educator by the Teaching Academy at the University of Vermont and has been a member of the Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) Steering Committee since 2023.

  • Program Evaluation and Evaluation Research- 6/9/2025
    Contains 2 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 06/09/2025 at 3:00 PM (EDT)

    This workshop introduces participants to fundamental principles of educational program evaluation, and provides participants with a strategy for developing an evaluation plan.

    This workshop introduces participants to fundamental principles of educational program evaluation, and provides participants with a strategy for developing an evaluation plan. 

    After participating in this workshop, learners will be able to:

    1. Describe program evaluation and its purposes;
    2. Identify barriers to program evaluation;
    3. Identify models used in evaluation;
    4. Describe the steps of an evaluation;
    5. Develop an evaluation plan.

    Recordings will be made available for viewing following the completion of each workshop. Viewing of recordings may not be substituted for participation in live workshops.

    This workshop is a part of the MERC Virtual Workshop Series 2025 - Series 2.

    Cayla Teal

    Dr. Cayla R. Teal is the Associate Dean for Assessment and Evaluation and an Education Associate Professor in the Department of Population Health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine (KUSOM).  Dr. Teal received her B.A. degree in Chemistry from William Jewell College and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Community/Clinical Psychology from Wichita State University, with emphases in applied research methods and psychometrics. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Health Services Research at the Center of Innovation in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety at the Michael E. DeBakey Houston VA Medical Center.  She served as the Director of Educational Evaluation and Research at Baylor College of Medicine and an Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Evaluation and Assessment at Texas A&M College of Medicine prior to coming to KUSOM.  Dr. Teal is responsible for the assessment of student performance in and program evaluation of the KUSOM’s curriculum and a member of its continuous quality improvement team.  She is a mixed-methods medical education researcher, an Associate Editor for Medical Education Online, a Deputy Editor for Teaching and Learning in Medicine, teaching faculty for AAMC Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) program, and a 2022 AMA Scholar in Health Systems Science.  Dr. Teal recently completed her two-year term as the national chair for the Medical Education Scholarship, Research and Evaluation (MESRE) section at the AAMC’s Group on Educational Affairs (GEA) and serves as the Treasurer for the Society of Directors of Research in Medical Education (SDRME).