Professor Jane Kirby

Profile

I am a Clinical Professor of Medical Education and practising GP in North Yorkshire. Currently, I am on secondment at The Open University, where I am exploring ways to utilise technology-enhanced learning to support the expansion of medical schools. I have a strong interest and extensive experience in technology-enhanced learning in medical education, with a focus on developing innovative digital solutions to support teaching and learning in clinical practice. Over the years, I have led several technology-enhanced learning initiatives. 

As the principal investigator of the Virtual Clinical Experiences project, I led the development of a novel learning platform that allows clinicians to consult with patients while connecting with students remotely, working with a Med Ed Tech company and with support from Health Education England. As part of this work, I was awarded a Topol Digital Fellowship in 2022. I am the lead editor for the Virtual Primary Care (VPC) project https://vpc.medicalschoolscouncil.org.uk/.  This is a partnership between the Medical Schools Council and the Society for Academic Primary Care. The platform makes 150 authentic primary care consultations available for use in undergraduate education medical education. The platform has been developed with contributions from over 30 medical schools across the UK and Ireland. 

In 2018 I was appointed as the Head of Student Education in Primary Care. In this role I am responsible for the strategic development and delivery of primary care focussed teaching and scholarship within the School of Medicine. During my secondment I have stepped down from this leadership role.
I joined the Academic Unit of Primary Care (AUPC) as an Academic Teaching Fellow in 2009. During my time at the AUPC I have been the Head of Postgraduate Programmes in Primary Care Education; ICU manager for Year 4 of the MBChB; and the Clinical Lead for two technology enhanced learning projects embedded within the School of Medicine: myPAL (my Personalised Adaptive Learning) and CIS4PC (Clinical Information Systems 4 Patient Care) and I continue to lead innovations in primary care education. I also developed the Visiting Lecturer Scheme which gives opportunities for GP trainees across the region to teach on the undergraduate MBChB and has now been expanded to other training schemes across Yorkshire and Humber. 

I continue to work closely with colleagues at Health Education Yorkshire and Humber in the School of Primary care to ensure quality in primary care education across the region. 
 

Responsibilities

• Head of Student Education in Primary Care

Research interests

My main area of research interest is exploring how technology can support teaching and learning.

I am currently the principal investigator on the Virtual Clinical Experiences project. The project team have developed a novel learning platform, in collaboration with a medical education technology firm, which allows clinicians to consult with patients while connecting with students remotely. It focuses on a design-based research approach working with key stakeholders to develop this technology. It is supported by funding from Health Education England. 

I have also worked on personalised adaptive learning programmes and I am interested in the use of feedback in continued development. She is also interested in the development of the future clinical workforce, with a particular focus on primary care. 

Qualifications

• PGCert in Primary Care Education
• MRCGP - Royal College of General Practitioners
• BMBS - University of Nottingham
• BMedSci - University of Nottingham

Professional memberships

• Royal College of General Practitioners
• Association for the Study of Medical Education

Student education

I supervise NIHR Clinical Academic trainees and have experience of teaching across all years of our undergraduate MBChB and teaching postrgraduate programmes in primary care.