PARAphrase Fall 2012

PARAphrase/president's message
{
See
One, Do One,
TEACH ONE}
”
The practice of medicine is often referred to as a lifelong learning
process. While the delivery of medicine revolves around treating
patients, the teaching of medicine revolves around sharing knowledge
with future generations. Although it would be nice if medical
knowledge really could be absorbed through osmosis, there is no
substitute for the teaching offered by preceptors and senior resident
physicians. In order to “see one, do one, teach one,” we, and the
medical education system in general, desperately need teachers.
Despite this need and the fact that we teach others throughout our
training, many of us in the medical field do not receive specific
training on how to teach. Contrary to what some might think,
teaching does not come naturally, and we can all recognize from our
own experience just how much difference a good teacher can make.
All of which emphasizes the need to build on the foundations already
established with “train the trainer” curricula.
Resident physicians have multiple roles as learners, educators,
and care-providers. Often, residency is the stage of our training
where many of us are teaching for the first time. As we transition
through our medical education from an undifferentiated “blast”-
type medical-student cell to a differentiated physician, there is an
increasing onus placed upon us to educate the next generation;
however, while there are excellent supports in place to help us master
the Medical Expert CanMEDS role, an opportunity and need exists
for corresponding support and training to allow us to become expert
teachers. Much work has been done to date to develop curricula and
resources; building on this start is a great way to ensure we become
excellent teachers in turn. Indeed, the Future of Medical Education
– Postgraduate Project recognizes the need to “develop, support, and
recognize clinical teachers” as one of its ten recommendations.
With the “see one, do one, teach one” methodology, there are
multiple opportunities for meaningful interactions and mentorship.
I remember the first lumbar puncture (LP) that I performed was as a
third-year medical student in my first rotation. After reviewing how
to perform an LP, I met with my attending and, at the bedside, she
guided me through the process for a successful tap. I still remember
how nerve-wracking that first time was, which helps me to relate to
my junior colleagues. Subtleties about how to perform the LP and
clinical pearls such as practicing positioning and breathing with the
patient and ensuring that all of my equipment is on-hand prior to
starting are helpful pointers for a successful tap. I truly appreciate the
teaching I received from my attending and some of the things she said
to me while I was performing the LP are the same things I now share
with my medical students.
“...we can all recognize from our own
experience just how much difference
a good teacher can make.
Dr. Gillian Shiau
PARA President
Delivering a lecture is one thing – engaging a room full of bright
individuals and highlighting the relevance to them of a somewhat
esoteric topic is a skill. Many of the clinical pearls that I have gained in
medicine and have appreciated the most have come from preceptors
who are not only experts in their field of medicine, but who have
the ability to explain complex topics at a comprehensible level in a
memorable way. Many of these individuals regularly seek out best
practices around teaching so they continue to offer more both in terms
of how to treat patients and how to teach others to treat patients. I can
only be grateful for and aspire to this level of commitment, and I am
eternally thankful for all the preceptors who have taken the time to
teach and mentor me.
I think each one of us has a role to play in clinical teaching: first, by
never being complacent about our own teaching skills and, second, by
never missing an opportunity to thank the individuals who take the
time to share what they have learned with us, especially those who do
it particularly well. Every year, there are opportunities for us to reward
the preceptors who inspire us through award programs run by PARA,
the Canadian Association of Internes and Residents (CAIR), the
universities, and so many other organizations involved in postgraduate
medical education. I encourage you to nominate one of the excellent
preceptors who are actively shaping the future physicians of Canada
and help remind them why they do it.
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PARAphrase | volume 29 fall 2012