I agree with Dinniss et al (Psychiatric Bulletin, March 2007, 31, ) that an MSc in Clinical Education is a worthwhile qualification, as there will be increasing pressure on senior clinicians to take an active part in teaching medical students and trainees. As society expects the healthcare system to be more and more transparent, clinicians will be held more accountable for their teaching and workplace-based assessments.

Learning to teach well means questioning the effectiveness of some of the old teaching methods, exploring new ideas and trying out new methods in different situations. Having started the MSc in Clinical Education in the past year, I find the experience extremely rewarding and enlightening. Being a product of the ‘old system’ of medical education where didactic teaching (lecture-based) dominated the curriculum, I found the principles of adult learning and the various techniques of small-group teaching quite fascinating. The feedback I received from medical students about the effectiveness of these techniques has been encouraging.

There is no doubt that there is an increasing demand for clinicians to deliver high-quality education, and a qualification in clinical education could become an essential rather than a desirable requirement for future consultant posts in the National Health Service.