Prestigious gold medal recognition for UCLan academic

A professor of medical education at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has won a prestigious national award for his outstanding contribution to medical education.

Professor John McLachlan from UCLan’s School of Medicine has been named by the Association for the Study of Medical Education (ASME) as the winner of its Gold Medal for 2022.

The annual prize is awarded to highly experienced scholars in recognition of their outstanding lifetime contributions to medical education, research and innovation.

Professor McLachlan previously served as Editor-in-Chief of Medical Education, the world-leading journal of the Association. His research work has ranged widely, from quantitative psychometric studies on the factors which predict who will make a good doctor, to qualitative work on the use of arts and humanities in medical education, featured at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.

In particular, his work on how anatomy should be taught in medical schools has proved influential world-wide in bringing about a shift of focus from the preserved cadaver to the living patient.

He has advised national bodies such as the Department of Health, Health Education England, the General Medical Council, the UK Foundation Programme Office, and various medical royal colleges on policy and practice, especially where related to assessment, and where changes in national policy have resulted from his input.

Commenting on the recognition Professor McLachlan said: “It is an enormous surprise and a real honour to be awarded the ASME Gold Medal for 2022. My work has benefitted hugely from collaboration with colleagues and students, so my sincere gratitude extends to them as well as to the Association.”

ASME’s Director of Awards, Dr Karen Mattick, added: “John is fully deserving of this award with his work making a significant and sustained contribution to medical education over recent decades. He has held, and continues to hold, a number of significant positions on national and international boards and has strong track records of publications, mentorship and supervision. John has innovated in research, in assessment and evaluation, leading to the award of a National Teaching Fellowship.”

Professor McLachlan has a Plenary session at this year’s ASME Annual Scholarship Meeting in Aberdeen in July, speaking on ‘Conscientiousness, Competent and Caring’: producing the junior doctor of the future.‘