Professor John McLachlan
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John is a Professor of Medical Education. He is mostly involved in providing guidance on assessment, within the School of Medicine and Dentistry and elsewhere across the University. John has a career-long interest in the teaching of anatomy by non-cadaveric means. He has worked extensively with artists on combined Science and Art projects, and has a particular interest in the humanities in health care teaching. He is a National Teaching Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
John's current role is focussed on assessment, particularly standard setting for very high stakes exams in health care. He acts as a research mentor to a number of academic colleagues interested in research in medical and healthcare education. He contributed extensively to the development of the Masters in Medical Education programme.
John McLachlan is currently Professor of Medical Education and Assessment Lead at UCLan (University of Central Lancashire) in the UK. Previously he was Associate Dean of Medicine at Durham University, and Director of Phase 1 at Peninsula Medical School. He is a developmental biologist by background, but over the last 18 years has specialised in health care education delivery and research. Previously, he was Editor-in-Chief of Medical Education, the leading journal in the field. His national roles include serving as a Board Member of the UK Clinical Aptitude Test, with the UK Foundation Programme Office as their psychometric expert, and as a member of the General Medical Council’s Expert Reference Group for the planned national Medical Licensing Assessment. Recently he was commissioned by NHS England to review assessment policy with regard to the Royal College of General Practice, and the Royal College of Psychiatry. He has also been commissioned by the General Medical Council, the Health and Care Professions Council, the Department of Health, NHS England, the Scottish Government, the Medical Schools Council, and the Higher Education Academy to produce reports on key aspects of health policy, particularly with regard to assessment and selection. His work has proved influential in changing national policy, particularly with regard to the assessment of international medical graduates wishing to practice in the UK, and the assessment of GPs and Psychiatrists in training in the UK. His work on anatomy pedagogy has influenced anatomy teaching in all of the 5 new medical schools that have opened in the UK since it was first published in 2004. He has over 60 publications on medical education issues, including refereed papers in BMJ, Academic Medicine and Medical Education.
John has been commissioned by the Royal College of Anaesthetists, and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, to carry out Independent Reviews of their assessment processes. In 2022, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Association for the Study of Medical Education for his services to the field.
- PhD, Developmental Biology, University of London
- Middlesex Hospital Medical School, 1980
- BSc. (Hons), Zoology, University of Glasgow, 1975.
- National Teaching Fellow, 2003
- Raine Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Western Australia
- Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning Award, Durham University
- Arts and Business New Partners Award, Dept. of Culture, Media and Sport: with Helen Storey.
- BUPA Award for Medical Writing
- John’s research currently focusses on (a) assessment and selection for health care practice (b) teaching and measurement of professionalism (c) anatomy pedagogy and (d) the use of arts and humanities in health care education. With his team, he developed the Clinical Conscientiousness Index, which is an objective scalar measure of professionalism in health care workers, and is now used internationally. He has received grant funding from the Department of Health, GMC, Higher Education Academy, NHS England, UKCAT, Medical Schools Council, and Health and Care Professions Council, among others. With regard to the arts and humanities, he has been awarded grants by the Wellcome Trust and the Arts Council, and this work aroused international media interest.
- Associate of the General Medical Council
- Expert Reference Group Member, Medical Licencing Assessment
- UKFPO RDG member
- Medical Schools Council Assessment Alliance
- Licenced Teacher of Anatomy
- (Recently: Board Member, UK Clinical Aptitude Test)
Current research projects include following medical students into the early years of their medical training to map the relationship between conscientiousness as an early years student, and later clinical practice. Also developing a new retrospective item-based standard setting methodology for medium stakes assessments.
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- Current research projects include following medical students into the early years of their medical training to map the relationship between conscientiousness as an early years student, and later clinical practice. Also developing a new retrospective item-based standard setting methodology for medium stakes assessments.
- Only major recent conferences
- McLachlan JC. Symposium Speaker, Ottawa Conference on the Assessment of Competence in Medicine and the Healthcare Professions, Kuala Lumpur, 2020
- McLachlan JC. Symposium Speaker, Ottawa Conference on the Assessment of Competence in Medicine and the Healthcare Professions, 2016, Perth, Western Australia., Abu Dhabi, 2018
- McLachlan JC. Symposium Speaker. AMEE Helsinki, August 2017.
- McLachlan JC. Opening Plenary at “Frontiers in Medical and Health Sciences Education” Conference, Hong Kong, November 2016.
- McLachlan JC.Opening Plenary at the Birmingham Conference 2016. 2nd May 2016.
Telephone:+44 (0)1772 896400
Email: Email:Professor John McLachlan
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