Preparing fourth-year medical students to teach during internship

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Graduate Medical Education

Background:

• Medical interns frequently teach medical students.
• Formal training in teaching skills for interns is often lacking in medical school curricula.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and impact of a
• Main_Methods
• A 4-hour "teaching to teach" course was integrated into the final year of medical school.
• Student support was evaluated through course ratings (2000-2005).
• Interns who participated in the course were surveyed during their internship regarding its effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A 4-hour "teaching to teach" course was integrated into the final year of medical school.
• Student support was evaluated through course ratings (2000-2005).
• Interns who participated in the course were surveyed during their internship regarding its effectiveness.

Main Results:

• Course evaluations showed strong student support, with an average rating of 4.4 out of 5.
• 84% of surveyed interns agreed or strongly agreed that the course prepared them for teaching during internship.
• Follow-up surveys indicated continued positive reception and perceived utility.

Conclusions:

• A brief "teaching to teach" course is a feasible and reproducible method to enhance medical students' teaching skills.
• The course is perceived by participants as a valuable addition to their education and directly applicable to internship responsibilities.
• This program represents a minimal commitment of faculty and resident time, offering significant educational benefits.