Tips for teaching in longitudinal clerkships

Longitudinal clinics (LCs) are increasingly common learning settings for North American medical students. However, the structure of an LC is distinct from a traditional block rotation, and requires different teaching strategies to maximise opportunities for learning.

The length of the relationship between student and teacher in an LC allows the teacher to focus on the basics of orientation early in the year, and to gradually entrust the student with more responsibility. The trajectory of learning can be anticipated by a teacher and used to guide the student's development over time.

We gathered feedback from students and teachers who participated in a year-long LC, and offer four tips for effective workplace learning. By using these tips, teachers can ease the transition into a complex work environment and maximise learning from clinical encounters.