Senior lecturer in UKZN’s School of Medicine, Dr Veena Singaram received the Southern African Association of Health Educationalists (SAAHE) Distinguished Educator Award at the association’s 20th annual conference in June. She delivered a keynote address on IgnitiatedTM: Initiating Feedback to Ignite Transformation.
SAAHE is an association of health sciences educators from South African universities, non-governmental organisations and the government and private sectors. It focuses on improving the quality of teaching and learning in health sciences education to enhance the delivery of high quality, affordable and sustainable health care to South Africans in the public and private sectors.
While the majority of SAAHE members are physicians, an increasing number of professionals in the allied health sciences have joined the community including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and nurses, etc. All members are committed to improving teaching and learning in medical and health professional education.
The SAAHE aims to showcase best practice in health sciences education, stimulate debate on the education of health practitioners, and develop teaching and educational research capacity in health sciences educators.
The annual SAAHE Distinguished Educator Award recognises an individual in health professions education who has made a significant contribution in teaching or who has contributed to the development of scholarship in the discipline of health professions education. It recognises excellence at a national level and aims to raise awareness of what constitutes excellence in health professions education. As such, this is the premier award of its kind in southern Africa.
Singaram’s research focuses on health professions education. She currently serves as the Academic Leader of Research in the School of Clinical Medicine.
Words: Lihle Sosibo
Photograph: Supplied
