Postgraduate Lead | Academic Board

Postgraduate Lead | Academic Board

Academic Board reports to RCOG Council

Three years

The purpose of the Academic Board is to promote and safeguard all aspects of academic obstetrics and gynaecology including research and training and research training, postgraduate research training and the nature of academic jobs and training, particularly in relation to recruitment and retention. 

The Board reports to RCOG Council and consists of a group of clinicians with a major interest and expertise in academia, research, and research training.

While the Chair of the Academic Board reports to the Vice President (VP), Education, they will attend the College Council as a full member.

The Board:      

Maintains and overviews RCOG’s academic strategies, curricula, policies and procedures pertaining to the following:

• Research
• Undergraduate education
• Postgraduate academic training

The Postgraduate Lead would be expected to:

• Establish and maintain e-based communication network with academic leads and academic trainees in each school for O&G across the UK
• Map postgraduate academic pathways and participation and gaps and inequalities in access through routine data or annual surveys.
• Develop academic careers and mentoring support in regions and disciplines of need.
• Work with the HHOSand NIHR IAT (Integrated Academic Training) leads to improve academic career progression and retention
• Support recruitment and funding of academic trainees and maintain effective working relationships with HOS to support the recruitment of trainees to their regions.
• Contribute to development of RCOG Annual Academic Meeting
• Represent postgraduate academic training perspectives as an active member of SEAC to strengthen links with HOS and other stakeholders
• 
  

• Academic Board
• Academic Leads in Universities
• Heads of schools
• Academic Trainees

Flexible

This role reflects the present requirements of the post. As duties and responsibilities change and develop, the role description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the post holder.

The role description will be re-evaluated at the end of the term. 

• MRCOG/FRCOG
• Registered with a licence to practice with GMC, in good standing
• Substantive consultant in Obstetrics &/or Gynaecology in UK NHS Practice
• Evidence of annual appraisal
• At least one fully completed CPD cycle
• Evidence of equal opportunities and diversity training within previous 3 years
• Have an academic role as part of their substantive post

Essential

• The Postgraduate Lead on the Academic Board must have experience in managing postgraduate training

Key skills/attributes

• Good communication skills
• The ability to liaise with College Officers, Postgraduate Deans, Heads of Schools, academic leads and academic trainees and others concerned with postgraduate training
• An enthusiasm for postgraduate training and its support through appropriate representation and meetings and the time commitment

Information about the RCOG CPD Framework can be found here.

Committee Chair/Member/Course Convenors and Organisers

If within your committee role or work as course convenor or organiser you gain knowledge which enhances patient care or leadership and technical skills (including, for example, giving presentations, teaching sessions or mock examining) credits can be claimed as an ‘Experiential Learning Event’.

CPD users can now freely select and record the number of credits for all their CPD activities. For Experiential Learning Events, a Reflection is required to claim the selected credits. In addition, 1 or 2 credits can be claimed for an action following the learning (1 credit for a simple action, 2 credits for a complex action). To claim credits for an action, the individual needs to demonstrate how they have applied their learning to their practice, the service they provide and/or the potential impact of the learning.

For those who prefer to follow RCOG recommendations, the CPD Framework still provides a suggested number of credits that can be claimed for different CPD activities.

Further information can be found in the RCOG CPD Framework document.

Authority: 

This Academic Board is established by Council and reports to Council on the academic activity of the College.  

Purpose:

To promote and safeguard all aspects of academic obstetrics and gynaecology including research and research training, postgraduate research training and the nature of academic jobs and training, particularly in relation to recruitment and retention.

In line with regulations and other governing documents, and legal and regulatory requirements, the Academic Board is responsible for overseeing all academic aspects of obstetrics and gynaecology, including research, training, and the nature of academic roles. It has the following responsibilities: 

• To maintain an overview of RCOGs academic strategies, curricula, policies and procedures pertaining to the following:  
  • Research;  
  • Undergraduate teaching and learning, as related to research; 
  • Postgraduate academic training. 

All members have a responsibility to report routinely to the Board on their own areas of activity. Additionally to this, all members have a collective decision making and advisory responsibility in relation to the activity reported from others.   

Therefore, it is expected that all Academic Board members are committed to attend, at least two meetings per year. Should clinical members require a letter from the College to secure time out of their clinical work in advance of the year ahead, this can be provided. 

Where a board member is unable to attend a meeting, they may nominate an appropriate representative or deputy to attend on their behalf, subject to notification to the chair and secretary. 

The chairs of the Academic Board and Genomics Standing Committee will meet twice yearly to ensure appropriate communication, collaboration and alignment on areas of academic interest.  

The Academic Board shall meet at least three times each year, with one meeting being in person.

The Academic Board shall provide minutes to Council from each meeting on the nature and content of its discussion, recommendations and action to be taken. 

The notice of the each meeting is set up in the meeting schedule with location/time/date already agreed in advance. 

The administrator for Clinical Quality or their nominee shall act as the secretary of the Academic Board and will ensure that information and papers are received in a timely manner to enable full and proper consideration to be given to the issues. 

The secretary shall minute the proceedings and resolutions of all meetings, including the names of those present and in attendance.  

Draft minutes shall be circulated to all members of the board. 

Approved/draft minutes will be circulated to Council.

• Chair of Academic Board 
• Postgraduate Lead 
• Undergraduate Lead 
• Higher Education Institution Representative (1) 
• Higher Education Institution Representative (2) 
• President, Blair Bell Research Society 
• NIHR Clinical Research Network Lead 
• SAS/LED representative 
• UKARCOG Chair  
• BUSOG Chair 
• Trainee Representative 
• Devolved Nations Representative, Scotland 
• Devolved Nations Representative, Wales 
• Devolved Nations Representative, Northern Ireland 
• Executive Director, Education and Quality  
• Director, Clinical Quality  
• CEO, RCOG 
• Head of Research Partnerships 
• Chair, Research Advisory Committee Wellbeing of Women 
• PPIE representative 
• SEAC representative
• Clinical Quality Coordinator