Beyond Boundaries: Innovation, Inclusion and Impact in Health Professions Education

Abstract

We are delighted to share this year's supplement, which captures the breadth and diversity of our conference programme.

The theme, ‘Beyond Boundaries: Innovation, Inclusion and Impact in Health Professions Education,’ reflected ASM2026's ambition to challenge established thinking and explore new possibilities for teaching, learning and practice. Bringing together educators, learners and leaders, the meeting placed collaboration and inclusion at its heart, with a shared focus on creating more equitable and responsive education that makes a meaningful difference to learners, patients, communities and healthcare systems.

Across three days, our keynote speakers encouraged us to think critically about innovation and the allure of new technologies, while offering new perspectives on supporting learners and navigating uncertainty. Symposia invited delegates to cross disciplinary and conceptual boundaries, whereas a packed programme of oral and e-Poster presentations showcased the breadth and quality of scholarship across our community. That willingness to question, connect and look beyond established approaches characterised ASM2026 and we were delighted to see it reflected throughout the meeting.

ASME ASM 2026 was our biggest conference yet, welcoming 872 delegates. We were supported by an exceptional team of 16 volunteers and heard from 6 keynote speakers spanning different professions, career stages and countries. Delegates reflected the conference's truly international character, with delegates attending from 18 countries and every corner of the United Kingdom. Across three days, the programme featured 267 oral presentations, 226 e-posters, 44 workshops, 18 award presentations and 11 doctoral research presentations. Together, these sessions captured the energy, creativity and collaborative spirit that continue to drive innovation in health professions education.

We are especially proud that this year saw two keynotes delivered by the winners of the ASME Chair's Award, a new award celebrating excellence in scholarship and research for mid-career members of our health professions education community. Dr. Aaron Drovandi and Associate Professor Emily Róisín Reid were the recipients in 2025 and 2026 respectively, and we were delighted to amplify new voices in our community and celebrate excellence at all career stages.

This supplement also features this year's award-winning abstracts. Among them, Dr. Nick Gardener (Queen's University Belfast) received the Research Paper Award 2026 for his study ‘Oscillation, omnipresence and ownership: a phenomenological study on uncertainty in residency’, exploring how GP trainees experience uncertainty during training. Dr. Olamide Oguntimehin, a GP Registrar at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust was awarded the TASME Teaching, Innovation and Excellence Award for her work ‘Embedding social determinants of health in postgraduate medical education’, which creates a scalable and adaptable model for embedding health equity into postgraduate education.

We are also delighted to celebrate the winners of our ASM communication prizes, whose work spans a rich range of themes. Samuel Passey and Rafiq Kanji received the ASME ASM Comms Prize for their e-poster comparing cognitive load profiles in anaesthesia education, whereas Cait Dennis and Howard Skinner won the joint ASME/SAPC ASM Comms Prize for their work on intellectual candour and its power to strengthen placement relationships and learning. Emer Kennedy was awarded the TASME ASM Comms Prize for exploring what AI can reveal about mentors' feedback on students' clinical reasoning and Megan Docksey received the TASME ASM EDI Prize for co-designing a simulation-based innovation in transgender health communication. Completing the group, Diya Rajesh won the JASME ASM Comms Prize for a rapid review of AI literacy curricula in undergraduate medical education. Together, these projects reflect the creativity and innovation that make our community so vibrant.

As you explore the abstracts and the reflective pieces from our keynote speakers, we hope you gain a sense of the quality and diversity of work shared at ASME ASM 2026. We believe it reflects the creativity, expertise and commitment of our members, who strive to improve education for learners and the patients they care for.

Looking ahead, we are excited to be meeting again in Harrogate in 2027, a meeting that will be particularly special, as we celebrate ASME's 70th anniversary. Much has changed in those 70 years and next year will offer an opportunity to celebrate advances, pause to reflect and think boldly about what the next 70 might bring.

We hope you enjoy the supplement and look forward to catching up in person next year!