University of New England

Graduate Programs in
Medical Education Leadership

The Master of Science in Medical Education Leadership (MMEL) is a signature program developed jointly by the College of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of New England and the Office of Medical Education at Maine Medical Center in Portland.

The purpose of the master's program in medical education leadership is to prepare individuals to assume or enhance their educational leadership roles in a variety of medical and health care training programs.   This program is designed to provide advanced education in the areas of curriculum and instruction, leadership and administration, and educational research and evaluation with opportunities for immediate and on-going application to each individual’s unique professional environment.

MMEL is a two-year master's program designed especially for working professionals that utilizes asynchronous, distance learning within a professional community.

This program welcomes a wide array of learners: physicians and other health care professionals, faculty in undergraduate and graduate training programs, educational coordinators who are not clinicians, medical students and fellows who aspire to an academic career, and international clinicians who are developing specialties and desire advanced degree certification.  These busy professionals share and gain expertise in academic medicine within a web-based instructional setting that provides flexibility of time.

Certificate in Program Development
This nine-credit hour program provides students with the core program development concepts in curriculum, instruction, and assessment. This set of courses is one of the foundations for the UNE Master of Science in Medical Education Leadership.

Certificate in Leadership Development
This nine-credit hour program provides students with the core leadership development concepts in personnel development, organizational development, and leadership skill training. This set of courses is one of the foundations for the UNE Master of Science in Medical Education Leadership.

Master of Science in Medical Education Leadership
The 33-credit hour MEL curriculum is designed to enhance students' skills in a variety of professional areas - curriculum, instruction, assessment, personnel development, organizational development, leadership skills, research and evaluation - through professional application and scholarship. 

The program reflects a vision of the medical education leader as a master teacher and executive leader.  The student outcomes are adapted from the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards in educational leadership.

In addition to academic courses, students develop an electronic professional portfolio as evidence of their competence in the eight medical educational leadership standards. The professional portfolio is a longitudinal integration and application of learning. 

This program is designed to be flexible and practical. The courses are offered online in an integrated format of video/audio, PowerPoint, and discussion forums. Each course in the MEL curriculum includes workplace-based projects and the program culminates in an applied project.  

The program also allows for two electives (three credits each) that may be self-designed as Independent Study, peer-designed by the cohort, selected from the Master’s in Public Health or transferred from external fellowship programs.  The professional portfolio is a longitudinal integration and application of learning. 

Faculty members are highly knowledgeable health-care professionals and medical educators with real-world experience and scholarly interests in their fields.

India Broyles, Ed.D.
Director, Programs in Medical Education Leadership