A teaching methods course in Manchester for general practitioner teachers.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• General Practice Training
• Professional Development

Background:

• General practitioner teachers require specialized training in effective pedagogical methods.
• Existing training programs may not adequately address the unique challenges of teaching in primary care settings.
• A structured, experiential approach can enhance the development of teaching competencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a comprehensive 20-day teaching-methods course for general practitioner teachers.
• To detail the cyclical structure and content of the residential training sections.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the experimental learning approach in improving teaching skills.

Main Methods:

• A 20-day course divided into four 5-day residential sections over 6 months.
• Sections include: person-to-person teaching, small group teaching, teaching behaviour, and a micro-training laboratory.
• Emphasis on experiential learning to facilitate direct application of learned methods.

Main Results:

• The course utilizes a cyclical, experimental learning approach for skill development.
• Specific methods for three sections are detailed, focusing on counselling skills and teaching behaviour.
• Limited evaluation data and general conclusions are presented.

Conclusions:

• The described course provides a structured framework for general practitioner teacher training.
• Experiential learning is central to enabling teachers to apply new methods.
• Further evaluation is needed to fully assess the impact on teaching practices.