Multiple realities. Teaching rounds in an inpatient pediatric service

Teaching rounds are a mainstay of most educational programs for interns and residents, but little is known about how they are conducted and the role they play in house staff members' learning. We performed a qualitative study of teaching rounds in an inpatient adolescent service using five data sources: observations, interviews, house staff ratings, results of a house staff retreat, and documents outlining faculty responsibilities. Interns, senior residents, and faculty members expressed differing views regarding the purpose, process, and content of rounds; mutual roles and expectations; and time management. An interactive teaching format focused around the visit of a patient to the conference room stimulated house staff interest and learning to a greater extent than did more traditional case presentations and lectures. These results suggest a need to develop a consensus among faculty and house staff regarding the purpose, content, and process of rounds.