Our main goal
The Institute of Medical Education Research Rotterdam (iMERR), established in 2014, aims to contribute to the development of medical education by means of high-quality scientific research. The Institute conducts research across the board of medical education, from selection for the bachelor program to the training of health professionals. Our research contributes to the (inter)national research field of (medical) educational research and generates both direct and indirect effects on (inter)national medical education. Our close connection with teachers and program directors enables us to valorise our knowledge and improve medical education.
Our strategy
Our role in developing educational policy & innovations
iMERR closely collaborates with the department of educational policy and advice (OBA), ensuring scientifically supported curriculum development. Examples of such developments informed by results from iMERR include the selection of students for the bachelor of medicine, the selection of residents for specializations, education on the subject of clinical reasoning and the use of technology-enhanced education. Consequently, iMERR plays an increasingly significant role in educational vision and innovation. Furthermore, iMERR plays an important role in educational advice. We support OBA in advising the (pro-)dean at the Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR, e.g., regarding binding study advice), the NFU Research and Education, the ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and the ministry of Public Health, Well-being and Sport. The pressure on scientifically supported policy in this area, and thus the role of iMERR, has been increasing.
The people we collaborate with
In recent years, iMERR has established an intensive collaboration between behavioural scientists, clinicians, training coordinators, and teachers involved in (bio)medical education. This collaboration with clinicians and teachers within the Erasmus Medical Center ensures that questions from practice can be researched in a scientific manner and that these scientific results find their way directly into the practice of medical education. iMERR also writes research grants and supports other departments and teachers with applying for research grants (from ZonMW to CLI). In addition, the internal collaborations at the Erasmus MC with program directors and teachers, as well as the local collaborations with the Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), offer the opportunity to answer fundamental research questions that advance the field of (medical) educational research, both nationally and internationally.
Our research expertise
iMERR has chosen three research lines, based on existing expertise in the Erasmus MC and the psychology institute of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Behaviour of the EUR: (i) Selection, assessment, & performance; (ii) Clinical reasoning; (iii): Technology-enhanced instructional design. These research lines have proven to be relevant to the innovations in education in which student welfare, patient safety, and technological developments play an important role.