Research Teaching Linkages: enhancing graduate attributes

Research Teaching linkages (RTL) are the Enhancement theme for 2008 from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) in Scotland. Here we describe the QAA sponsored project on RTLs for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary medicine. The project aims to identify opportunities for research teaching linkages within their curricula and provide examples of good practice. The wider aim was to permit an understanding of the attributes necessary to undertake research and how best to support/promote the achievement of such attributes in medical curricula.
24 structured interviews were carried out with faculty members from all 3 disciplines. Additional data and case studies were collected from a dedicated RTL symposium.
Results show that many of the attributes required for research overlapped with those required for professional practice. Therefore it was essential that a basic level of research attributes was acquired by all graduates. Opportunities to acquire deeper level research attributes were found to be available in specific parts of the curriculum such as special study modules. The main recommendation of the project is that all students should have the opportunity to take part in a research project as part of their curriculum.