Meet the Programme Leader: Dr. Hayder Ewad
Published: December 14, 2022What was your background prior to becoming a programme leader in acute medicine?
I’m a Consultant Physician in General and Acute Medicine for the NHS, working in a very challenging time and environment. I am proud that over the course of my professional life, primarily the last 11 years in this senior role, I have earned the respect of every team I have joined. In December 2021, I was chosen as one of the heroes for Southmead hospital of NBT NHS trust/Bristol, which was very similar to the recognition I received in 1990, just two years after graduating from medical school in Iraq.
What matters most to me is that I respect my patients and work hard to provide safe and high-quality medical care. I believe in teamwork and collaboration with others to facilitate my endeavour in looking after those needing my medical help most.
Why did you choose Diploma MSc’s acute medicine programme?
I've been a tutor for the Acute Medicine programmes delivered by Learna for nearly two years, tutoring different subjects, and I'm now delighted to be the programme leader. Medical education is at the heart of my interests, which is probably a coincidence given that I was a Clinical Physiology tutor at Al Nahrain Medical in Iraq from 1991 to 1994.
If I see myself teaching my students something new, something different from what they already knew, something beneficial that could change the course of their professional lives for the better, then I consider myself a successful educator.
What makes studying with Learna | Diploma MSc different?
Learna has been offering online education for postgraduates for over ten years, making its platform distinct from other online course providers. Learna's course diversity, the flexibility of distance learning through which our courses are delivered, and the cost effectiveness for students' money spent; all of these characteristics would place Learna in a unique position to attract students from all over the world.
Over the last decade, students from Africa, America, Asia, and Europe have been joining Learna to broaden their medical knowledge and improve their clinical practice.
Learna teams are made up of carefully selected educators and medical professionals who are experts in their fields and have demonstrated their capacity to offer learners with current knowledge, skills, and understanding to help them provide better healthcare and develop in their careers.
What interests you the most about acute medicine?
Acute medicine is a unique medical speciality in which all of medicine's specialties come together in one mix. In acute medicine, you may anticipate interacting with dynamic and engaged medical minds of various ranks and backgrounds, juniors and seniors all seeking to help an acutely ill patient regardless of the problems they're suffering from.
The acute medicine environment is both fast-paced and demanding. Acute medicine professionals are hands-on, always working as a well-organised and disciplined team, as this is the only way to make any acute medicine area effective.
A fast and collaborative team decision-making process is extremely valuable in acute medicine since it can mean the difference between good and less useful medical management for every patient that arrives in need of medical care.
What are the advantages of online learning, and why should you opt for it?
Online learning provides several advantages over in-person course attendance, including the ability to begin the course right away and from the screen of your computer, without interrupting your professional commitments. Online courses offer a greater range of knowledge and specialties from which to choose, better meeting the needs of individual students.
There are no geographical limitations. You do not need to arrange for accommodation or go away from home. Instead, the motivator is the course reputation that matches your actual needs. Students would learn how to use virtual spaces and platforms, as well as time management and other computer technical skills, through distant online courses. Those are now second nature to us, especially in the after the COVID pandemic.
Online learning is very cost effective because there are no costs for travel, being away from home, or any other money loss due to disruptions to pre-enrollment jobs and professional commitments.
The benefits to online learning are endless!
How do you support your students on the course?
The most helpful support students can receive is if they feel they have an approachable tutor they can seek for help anytime they need it. That is what I try my best to make happen; and it's what our tutoring teams strive to do.
During the module study period, I reviewed every student's submissions, comments, and contributions. I try my hardest to make them feel as if their actions are being read, monitored, and remarked on. Furthermore, I believe that constructive criticism should be used to address the educational needs of students on the course. Concerns raised by students, particularly during study or via student surveys (at the end of modules), I aim to thoroughly review and answer at all times.
If you'd like to learn more about our flexible and affordable distance learning acute medicine programme, please click here to download the prospectus or contact our specialist admission team, who will be happy to assist you.