Jan MacDougall & Mary Jan Drummond.
Medical Education
December 2005, Vol. 39, Issue #12, pg. 1213-1220.
Review by: Linda Heun, Ph.D. <lheun@aacom.org>
The authors used semistructured interviews with experienced medical teachers to inductively move toward a model for medical teacher development. They site previous literature in this regard that focused on skill development through attendance at formal, short courses with limited outcomes.
During individual interviews interviewees representing different specialties were asked to 1) give an autobiographical outline of their development as teachers, 2) describe the role and value of formal courses, role models, feedback, institutional support, rewards for excellence, and involvement in research, 3) reflect on their approach to teaching and learning, and 4) select from provided paintings to illustrate aspects of teaching. Transcribed data were studied and the following key categories identified: acquisition of educational lknowledge and skills, modellng and practice of skills, encouagement and motivation of teachers, and constraints on teaching and learning. The following observations were made:
- knowledge of educational theory was limited and little reference to its acquisition, despite all having attended formal courses
- learning styles of teachers varied considerably
- feedback was identified as important, but rarely given and often unhelpful
- internal constraints deterring teachers include fear, lack of knowledge of content and poor understanding of process
- lack of time and devaluing of the teaching role were cited a external constraits
Implications for faculty development include:
- increase the range and scope of learning experiences for faculty
- provide time to try out new techniques
- formal courses are valued for information early in one's career and for the time to reflect later in one's career. Content should be adjusted to accommodate different goals
- faculty can be encouraged to teach well with rewards
- constraints are deeply embedded and need to be identified and removed
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