Balancing both sides of the desk: a week in the life of an online student
By Muz, from Scotland, studying the PgDip Clinical Education (Online Learning)
I’m Muz, a Clinical Skills Educator at Edinburgh Medical School, and I’m also studying on the PgDip Clinical Education (Online) programme. Balancing work and study means I often find myself on both sides of the desk in the same week, and sometimes even on the same day. It’s busy, but it’s also been a genuinely rewarding experience.
Monday
My week often starts in the simulation suite. On Monday, I facilitated a medical simulation session where students assessed and managed an acutely unwell patient using a simulator manikin. Simulation is fast-paced, hands-on, and very learner-led. As an educator, my role isn’t to dominate the discussion but to guide it, helping learners reflect and identify gaps in their knowledge through experience.
Tuesday
Tuesday brought more simulation, followed by a very different kind of teaching: a one-to-one support session with a student returning to training after time away. Switching from group teaching to individual mentoring requires flexibility, but it’s also one of the most meaningful parts of the role. That evening, I swapped teaching for studying, reading from Understanding Medical Education and reflecting on how curriculum design plays out in real educational settings.
Wednesday
Wednesday was more behind-the-scenes. The day was filled with team meetings focused on planning upcoming exams and open days. It’s not the most glamorous part of the job, but it’s essential to keep the education centre running smoothly. That evening, I worked on a formative assignment for my course, developing ideas around introducing a new incentive into a curriculum. I value formative assessments—they help keep me on track and make the summative work feel far less daunting.
Thursday
Thursday was an early start delivering an Immediate Life Support course to final year medical students, focused on resuscitation skills. Teaching high-stakes topics like this comes with responsibility, but it’s also rewarding. That evening, I joined my weekly live online tutorial. Catching up with fellow students from around the world and discussing the readings together is a highlight of the week, and while I try to attend live whenever possible, it’s reassuring to know recordings are there when life gets busy.
Friday
By Friday, things slowed down a little. I used a quiet lunch break to read a short article from my reading list (thankfully, available as a PDF from the online University library), then finished the week by heading out for dinner with friends—a reminder that balance matters too.
The University’s online library
Studying alongside working has changed how I approach both roles. Being a student again reminds me what it’s like to juggle deadlines, learn in short pockets of time, and rely on flexibility and feedback, and that perspective feeds directly into my teaching. The ability to immediately apply ideas from the programme to my day-to-day work and bring real experiences back into discussions with fellow students has made learning feel relevant and grounded. It’s busy, but it’s also motivating, and being on both sides of the desk has been well worth it.
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