Summary
The University of Hertfordshire (UH) has developed postgraduate, multi-professional programmes to educate and develop the skills of healthcare professionals from the UK and overseas to deliver high quality services for people with skin conditions. The MSc Clinical Dermatology and MSc Skin Lesion Management programmes teach and assess doctors, nurses, pharmacists’ and physicians’ associates to the same standard in the same learning environment. Since inception in 2006, over 750 students have graduated with a specialist Master’s degree. While studying at UH, students develop skills to transform practice, ensuring that patients receive optimal care delivered by knowledgeable, reflective practitioners.
Method
The aim of the dermatology programmes is to produce practitioners who meet the needs of patients in a range of clinical settings. Workforce challenges in dermatology have meant it is necessary to look for different ways to deliver care. In 2006, UH’s first skin surgery module challenged practice by training nurses alongside doctors to undertake skin surgery techniques, which is now common practice. The importance of Master’slevel education for dermatology practitioners has been reflected through the Clinical Dermatology Role Descriptors (BDNG 2021). Undergraduate dermatology teaching is limited and these products have been developed to support professional development of health professionals managing people with skin conditions. International students and UK practitioners learn together, adding a further dimension to the programmes. Students gain valuable insight into each other’s practice to enhance dermatology knowledge/skills and enrich their learning experience. Regardless of the modules being studied, students have access to tutors who support them to achieving learning outcomes. Accessing the programmes is flexible, with part time students able to take five years to complete their Master’s, selecting modules to fit around their workplace/personal responsibilities. Robust quality assurance processes ensure high standards of teaching and assessment. These are consistently evaluated positively by students and external examiners.
Results
The dermatology team is responsive, with an ethos of developing educational products to improve the quality of care for people with skin conditions. Currently there are 75 students studying the MSc Clinical Dermatology and 80 students on the MSc Skin Lesion Management programme. Over 90% of students graduate with a Master’s degree, with the remainder leaving with a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma. Recruitment remains buoyant despite challenges posed by the pandemic and increased NHS workplace pressures. The portfolio of modules reflects the workforce skills required in practice, including psychological interventions (Mind and Skin), understanding therapeutic interventions (Therapeutics for Skin Conditions) and acquisition of surgical techniques (Skin Surgery Skills). Patients with skin conditions and charity groups contribute to teaching to ensure the patient voice is heard. Students benefit from this and it ensures that patient groups can see the impact of the programmes on patient experience.
Sustainability and Spread
Demand for Master’s-level education is likely to continue to grow to meet the increasing burden of skin disease and a Master’s-level qualification is now part of the career pathway for dermatology specialist nurses. The primary care workforce is changing and these innovative modules are suitable for GPs, pharmacists’ advanced care practitioners and physicians’ associates to improve the quality of first-point-ofcontact care for people with skin disease. Members of the teaching faculty are widely connected in the professional dermatology world, which ensures that information about the programmes is disseminated through publications, conference presentations and professional networks. UH is constantly innovating and will be the first university in the country to offer specialist dermatology modules on an Advanced Practitioner Master’s degree in conjunction with colleagues in the School of Healthcare.
