Ten tips for teaching in the theatre tearoom: shifting the focus from teaching to learning

Educational encounters between surgeons and trainees are often brief, spontaneous, opportunistic events. In spite of their vast teaching experience, very few surgeons have had educational training that enables them to optimise such opportunities. This article reviews the literature on medical education and adult learning, and makes practical suggestions about how surgeons can best help trainees to learn. The most important ideas, such as creating a supportive learning environment, actively engaging the learner, and providing constructive feedback, are relevant to any teaching and learning, but are particularly applicable to informal, on-the-job educational encounters such as teaching in the theatre tearoom.