Medical Education

Studies have estimated that residents spend up to 20% of their time on teaching activities regardless of their department or future career plans. Despite the significant responsibility for teaching medical students and colleagues along with patients and their families residents often have not received formal instruction on how to be effective teachers.

The Internal Medicine Residency Program values the important role that residents assume as teachers. The program also recognizes how complex medical teaching can be when the teacher must meet the needs of the learner while providing care for the patient.

In an effort to help residents develop teaching skills as well as gain confidence as teachers, the program has designed opportunities for residents to improve their teaching skills during their training.

Teaching Skills Curriculum: Residents participate in a longitudinal teaching skills curriculum during the “Y” week block. The goal of the Teaching Skills curriculum is to introduce residents to a knowledge base and skill set used when serving in the role of a clinical educator. The curriculum for all residents presents concepts and allows time for skill development.

Teaching Resident RotationFor residents interested in further advancing their teaching skills, the residency program also offers a “Teaching Resident” rotation during the PGY3 year. Residents who participate in this 4-week block are provided with extensive opportunities and resources to develop skills for effective teaching including skills for small group facilitation, interacting and teaching with multiple levels of learners and time management. These residents have time available to develop an educational project such as a topic pocket card, a patient simulation or an electronic teaching module. Built into this experience is the opportunity to interact with faculty members who provide feedback and evaluation of the resident’s teaching skills in a variety of teaching activities and venues.

Masters of Medical Education: This program offers a Master in Medical Education degree in order to develop a community of academic medical faculty with formal training in education who will create and sustain a culture of educational excellence within the College of Medicine, the university, and the medical education community at-large.

Jane A. Rowat, MS
Director for Educational Development

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