The campaign is no longer active. We're leaving the website up as an archive, but please be aware that some of the information may not be current. Some other sources of information on ME/CFS medical education in the UK: • Doctors with ME • ME Action: Medical education in the UK • Physios for ME… Continue reading Welcome to the web archive of the ME/CFS Medical Education Campaign
Author: Katie Johnstone
‘Life with a low battery’: a wonderful short cartoon explains ME/CFS in a relatable way
'Life with a low battery' is a 6-minute video which is perfect for introducing ME/CFS to family and friends of someone living with the illness. ME/CFS is a complex, multisystem, energy-limiting illness which is often misunderstood, leaving patients struggling to get the understanding and support they need. Now the experts at the Bateman-Horne Center have… Continue reading ‘Life with a low battery’: a wonderful short cartoon explains ME/CFS in a relatable way
Discover M.E. – animated video for healthcare professionals
A new 6-minute animated video provides insight into the experiences of people living with ME/CFS. The video is part of the Discover ME Experience, a two-part (CPD accredited) educational 3D virtual reality or 2D short film, with accompanying information pack, available free to healthcare providers and medical students in Northern Ireland. For more information, contact… Continue reading Discover M.E. – animated video for healthcare professionals
ME/CFS and Long Covid: online #MedEd event on 4 June
There's just over a week left to sign up for the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh's online event to improve understanding of infection-related chronic illness! The event is open to all grades of medical, health care and scientific staff, and to students. From the event website: "During this webinar you will learn about the… Continue reading ME/CFS and Long Covid: online #MedEd event on 4 June
Children with severe ME/CFS taken into custody
World-renowned paediatric ME/CFS specialist Dr Nigel Speight discusses a disturbing scenario: severely ill young people with ME/CFS and their families are persecuted by the healthcare professionals. This is a difficult video to watch, but it is incredibly important. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAoQeyTXWWQ
Malnutrition and ME/CFS: the NHS is still getting it wrong.
This article was updated 13 February 2024. It's happening again. The young woman was so weak she could barely tap out a few words from her hospital bed, but she wanted to let the outside world know what was happening to her. The doctors had decided to take away her NG tube. They'd decided her… Continue reading Malnutrition and ME/CFS: the NHS is still getting it wrong.
Learn About ME essay competition for medical students studying in Scotland
Medical students studying in Scotland are invited to take part in the Learn About ME essay competition! The winner will receive £250, and the winning essay may be published in The Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. To enter, students must: • Complete the free one-hour CPD course on ME/CFS by Dr.… Continue reading Learn About ME essay competition for medical students studying in Scotland
Might the NHS finally remove the harmful and outdated information on ME/CFS from its website?
NHS logo. The NHS website information page on ME/CFS has so many problems, it's hard to know where to start. The overall picture it gives of the illness is trivialising - for instance it lists the main symptom as "extreme tiredness", which is not an accurate reflection of this serious multisystem illness characterised by a… Continue reading Might the NHS finally remove the harmful and outdated information on ME/CFS from its website?
A mother of a child with severe ME/CFS describes troubling experiences of medical harm and accusations of abuse in healthcare settings
Children with severe ME/CFS and their families all too often face misunderstanding and accusations of abuse in healthcare settings. There is little awareness of these experiences, in part because many families are understandably unwilling to share their stories. I'm very grateful to Tina Rodwell, who is a full-time carer for her son Angus, for sharing… Continue reading A mother of a child with severe ME/CFS describes troubling experiences of medical harm and accusations of abuse in healthcare settings
The Royal College of Psychiatrists promotes dangerous ‘treatments’ for children with ME/CFS
The logo of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Update 07/11/2023: the webpage has been taken down! The Royal College of Psychiatrists, through their website, recommends that children with ME/CFS should receive graded exercise therapy (GET) and gradually increase their activity. Although the website claims "this is not advice," in fact it very clearly is advice,… Continue reading The Royal College of Psychiatrists promotes dangerous ‘treatments’ for children with ME/CFS
Quick note: query submitted to the Royal College of Physicians
I was concerned to learn that the Royal College of Physicians maintains educational materials on ME/CFS for postgraduate medical students, given that in 2021 that organisation expressed support for outdated and harmful forms of 'treatment' for the condition. Hopefully the RCP has researched and learned more about ME/CFS since then. In any case I've put… Continue reading Quick note: query submitted to the Royal College of Physicians
Response to the government’s interim plan for ME/CFS
The UK government's Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published its interim plan for ME/CFS, which is open for consultation until 4 October. Our response refers only to the 'Attitudes and Education of Medical Professionals' section of the plan. ME Research UK has published a fantastic response to the 'Research' section of the… Continue reading Response to the government’s interim plan for ME/CFS
New video series brings clarity to ME/CFS and long Covid’s frequently-misunderstood symptom: post-exertional malaise (PEM) aka post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PESE)
PEM is the unique and pathognomonic symptom of ME/CFS, meaning that if a person has PEM they have ME/CFS and vice versa. Some but not all long Covid patients experience PEM; these patients should be investigated for ME/CFS. (Long Covid and ME/CFS are not mutually exclusive; a person can have both.) PEM is frequently misunderstood,… Continue reading New video series brings clarity to ME/CFS and long Covid’s frequently-misunderstood symptom: post-exertional malaise (PEM) aka post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PESE)
Job advert shows that NHS trust flouts NICE guidance
The logo of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. A disturbing job advert has come to light which shows that outdated, unscientific and harmful attitudes to ME/CFS are still alive and well in the NHS. The ad, for the Oxford University NHS Foundation Trust, is for a clinical psychologist to divide their time between… Continue reading Job advert shows that NHS trust flouts NICE guidance
New free short module on severe ME/CFS
In honour of Severe ME Day (8 August) Dr. Nina Muirhead of Doctors with ME has teamed up with Learna to offer new educational content on severe ME/CFS. 25% of people with ME/CFS have the severe form of the illness. They are profoundly ill and have complex care needs, yet few healthcare professionals receive training… Continue reading New free short module on severe ME/CFS
Please sign our open letter to the UK medical schools
Photo: Pixabay / Pexels. Shockingly, most doctors receive no training at all on ME/CFS. As a result, many continue to believe (wrongly) that the condition is minor, self-resolving, psychological in nature, or simply made up. Acting on these beliefs, they dismiss their patients' very real and very serious symptoms; mistakenly assume the symptoms are due… Continue reading Please sign our open letter to the UK medical schools
Prestigious BMJ promotes ME/CFS misinformation
This post was updated on 16 July 2023 to say that many of the authors of the JNNP article are psychiatrists - the original version incorrectly stated that all of them are. The prestigious British Medical Journal (BMJ) has published an article which profoundly misrepresents the state of scientific knowledge on ME/CFS. The article, ME/CFS:… Continue reading Prestigious BMJ promotes ME/CFS misinformation
An open letter to the Medical Schools’ Council
The Medical Schools Council represents the UK medical schools and shapes the future of medical education in the UK. We've reached out to the MSC, urging them to drive forward the development of excellent ME/CFS training for undergraduate medical students, and letting them know about some fantastic experts and resources. Here's the letter we sent… Continue reading An open letter to the Medical Schools’ Council
Brief note: correspondence with the GMC regarding the term ‘chronic fatigue syndrome’ in medical education
I recently contacted the GMC (General Medical Council) to raise a concern: their MLA (Medical Licensing Assessment) content map refers to 'chronic fatigue syndrome' and not 'myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)'. The MLA is an exam that all final-year undergraduate medical students in the UK will have to complete starting in the 2024/2025 academic year.… Continue reading Brief note: correspondence with the GMC regarding the term ‘chronic fatigue syndrome’ in medical education
A life cut short by medical neglect: interview with Sarah Boothby, whose daughter Maeve died at 27 of severe ME/CFS
I spoke with Sarah Boothby over zoom on 19 May, 2023. Our discussion was wide-ranging, and I've cut down and rearranged what was said for length and clarity. Maeve's story is profoundly upsetting, and discretion is advised. Maeve Boothby-O'Neil. I requested a photo and received this with the note: "She did not want to be… Continue reading A life cut short by medical neglect: interview with Sarah Boothby, whose daughter Maeve died at 27 of severe ME/CFS
ME/CFS Medical Education Campaign 