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Residents as Teachers
Residents participate in the formal and informal education of other residents and medical students. Formally, residents often present rounds and give impromptu teaching sessions. Informally, residents are role models for other residents and medical students.
To teach is to learn... Residents may be hesitant to teach, thinking they must be experts before even thinking of teaching others. The benefit of teaching something is that you learn the topic at a much deeper level. Successful teachers often have something more than expertise, such as enthusiasm and approachability.
Types of Teaching in the clinical environment:
Bedside teaching
Bedside teaching strategies include:
Before the interaction - Prepare, plan
During the interaction - Introduce, interact, observe, instruct, summarize
After the interactions - Debrief, feedback, reflect
Case based teaching
Case based teaching usually refers to discussion. Often the learner will present a case, and the teacher will point out relevant features and teaching points. It is up to the teacher to find these teaching points and there are usually many. It is helpful during a case discussion to jot down these teaching points to create a list of ’take-home messages’. Case based teaching is effective because the case usually sticks in the learner’s mind, so the learning points might just stick too.
Topic based teaching
Residents are often asked to give presentations or short reports. These always improve with practice. Not everyone is cut out for public speaking, but there are lots of resources, including teachers that you have heard speak, who can give tips. Mentors can also listen to your presentation beforehand and give you tips. It is hard sometimes to receive feedback on your speaking, or watch yourself on video, but these things lead to improvement in teaching just like any other skill.
Role modeling
Residents are role models. Often in CARMS interviews, candidates will state they worked with a resident who influenced them and their specialty choice. Students and other residents are constantly watching you, and consciously or unconsciously they will pick up some of your behaviours. Both positive and negative behaviours can be perpetuated because of this, so don’t underestimate your influence.
Role modeling can be intentional. You can actually articulate what it is you want to demonstrate by pointing it out to the learner.
Is there something you would like every learner to know?
Do you have an agenda?
You can leave your mark by role modeling behaviour that you want to see carried on.
See Teaching Activity