KI praises Professor Jennifer Cleland's educational research
Jennifer Cleland has been awarded the Karolinska Institutet Prize for Research in Medical Education (KIPRIME) 2024. Her scientific work has had a significant influence on the development of medical education worldwide.
In October, Jennifer Cleland, Professor of Medical Education and Vice Dean for Education at Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine in Singapore, will join previous international recipients of KIPRIME.
“I am proud to be one of the exceptional people who have received this award, and would like to take this opportunity to thank my many dedicated colleagues in medical education with whom I have worked over the past 24 years. Without them, I wouldn't have gotten this far,” says Jennifer Cleland.
The award motivation highlights, among other things, that Jennifer Cleland has promoted medical education as a scientific discipline.
“Professor Jennifer Cleland has been a leading figure in medical education for a long time. Her work in developing and evaluating education with a focus on health and care has a major and important influence on educational methods and quality of care worldwide,” says KI President Annika Östman Wernerson, who is a member of the prize committee.
Jennifer Cleland's research in medical education is characterized by innovation, leadership, and mentoring and spans a wide range of themes, methods, and practical applications.
Focus on fairness
Her work has focused on key issues such as fairness, which can include inequality in the application of selection and assessment criteria as well as training staff to meet the health needs of all patients.
Although Jennifer Cleland is currently active in Singapore, her home country of Great Britain has influenced her work, she says.
“In a country with such large differences between rural and urban areas and social classes, I have observed tensions and many obstacles to change.”
With a background in psychology, Professor Cleland has developed a good understanding of complex systems and cultures. She describes her research strengths as the ability to think strategically at the policy and organizational level, and at the same time be able to focus on teams and individuals.
“There are no easy solutions, but I hope that my and my colleagues' research goes some way towards increasing knowledge about how change can take place, both nationally and internationally.”
Jennifer Cleland believes and hopes that the KIPRIME Prize can encourage more cross-cultural and transnational collaboration in medical education.
The jury's motivation
“Professor Cleland’s distinguished medical education research has been transformative, covering a wide spectrum of themes, methodologies, and practical applications. Her scholarship, marked by innovation, leadership, and mentorship, has significantly influenced medical education and training globally.
With the goal of ensuring a more diverse and capable medical workforce, her theory-grounded research has been pivotal in addressing key issues such as equity, diversity, and inclusivity in student selection and training effectiveness.
She has advanced medical education research as a scientific discipline, contributing to improved educational practices and better healthcare outcomes.”