Community family medicine teachers' perceptions of their teaching role

Our study explored community preceptors' perceptions of their teaching role, to better understand effective ambulatory and community-based teaching.

Bandura's social cognitive theory and Schön's notion of reflective practice guided conceptual development of an interview exploring preceptors' views of their role, teaching goals, teaching techniques, student assessment practices, factors affecting teaching and learning, and balance of patient and student needs. Preceptors reflected also on a significant personal teaching experience. A total of 17 highly student-rated preceptors participated. A trained interviewer conducted each interview; all were transcribed and subjected to content analysis.

Preceptors (male, 14; female, 3) described learner-centred approaches, setting goals jointly with the student. Demonstration, guided practice, observation and feedback were integral to the experience. Preceptors saw student comfort in the environment as key to effective learning; they attempted to maximize students' learning and breadth of experience. They wanted students to understand content, "know-how" and "being a family physician". Patients remained the primary responsibility, but learners' needs were viewed as compatible with that responsibility. Many preceptors perceived a professional responsibility as "role models".

Preceptors recognized the dynamic environment in which they taught students, and they described strategies which demonstrated how they adapted their teaching to meet the needs of the learner in that environment. These teachers combined learner-centred approaches with sound educational practices, broad learning experiences, attention to student learning and concern for development of professional expertise and judgement. These findings may assist faculty development in family medicine, and other disciplines, in providing effective ambulatory care teaching.