Raising the Bar for Clinical Teaching

Today we observed a committed physician educator share his insights about what it means to be "present" as a clinical teacher.  I'm not sure what you will remember from the required readings and the PP slides and practice opportunities, but what is reinforced for me each year when I work with Bud on this session is that it is possible to be both a dedicated practitioner and an effective teacher.  Is time a factor.. of course.  Is context a factor... of course.  What I loved hearing was the different ways proposed for modifying what you heard from Bud into your own setting.  The principles supporting  "teach general rules", asking "high yield questions" and "reflection on action", are universal.  They don't just pertain to teaching in a General Internal Medicine outpatient setting, or even clinical teaching. 

This session, I suspect, was a more difficult session for our non-clinical masters students.  I hope the cases helped, but I can imagine you had to work harder at extrapolating principles and tips to your own setting.  Comments on the readings, presentation or your own wonderful inspired thinking are welcome.

Using Narrative Assessment Methods to Give Feedback

I spoke with Dr. Pien and she mentioned a couple areas of narrative feedback about which there was much discussion.  See below for possible stimuli for discussion:

• "Another feature about written assessments that the class talked about was the fact that narrative assessment is a permanent record, hence the difficulty and reluctance with providing modifying feedback and why most written feedback is focused on strengths, even if the assessment is formative".
• "The faculty mentioned the need to balance the narrative assessment with face-to-face dialogue with trainees especially with regards to areas for improvement".

Use these as a springboard for discussion or choose another issue

Education Needs Assessment

DON'T BE A "LONE RANGER" could also be an appropriate title for this Post.  As you may have noticed from listening and interacting today with your colleagues, content expertise was never questioned in the Needs Assessment presentation.  You might think that it should be, but most of the time folks that are asked to develop an instructional unit have content expertise.  The problem arises when their expertise is not congruent with the audience needs and goals.... hence NEEDS ASSESSMENT.  Lots of other potential obstacles can be addressed early through just talking and listening to others.  Remember.. A new curriculum is not the answer to every problem.  Your Thoughts?

Competency-Based Education Systems

I wish I could have been there, but I read the evaluations and it sounds like most of you enjoyed the topic and the exercises.  For many of you who were educated in a traditional norm-based, knowledge-centered educational systems, CBE may seem very different and perhaps an unnecessary change in focus.  For example you might ask "What is so wrong with knowing a lot".  The fathers  (and mothers) of CBE would answer that question..."Nothing, as long as you are able to use that knowledge to solve a problem, help a patient, communicate better, etc.  What do you think about the rise of CBE in medical and health science education?