Residents as teachers: residents' perceptions before and after receiving instruction in clinical teaching

Residents play an integral role in educating junior residents, medical students, and patients.

To determine how residents describe their training, proficiency, and comfort level in teaching before and after receiving instruction in clinical teaching.

Emergency medicine residents at a 980-bed suburban hospital system filled out a 12-question survey on their training as teachers and their self-perceptions of themselves as teachers. The residents then participated in a 2-hour education session on adult learning principles, methods of clinical teaching, and how to give effective feedback. After the session, participants completed a second, 11-question survey on the effectiveness of the session.

Thirty-seven residents completed the presession survey and 33 completed the postsession survey. In the presession survey, 23 residents (62%) identified their proficiency as a teacher and ability to give feedback as that of a novice or beginner. Fourteen (38%) felt competent or proficient as teachers. Twenty-six (70%) reported never receiving instruction in clinical teaching during their residency, and 33 (89%) were interested in learning these skills. In the postsession survey, 28 (85%) described the teaching module as very helpful to their training, and 33 (100%) reported feeling more prepared to teach. Twenty-six (79%) stated they were very likely to teach students more often, and 33 (100%) reported a better understanding of how to give effective feedback.

The majority of the residents surveyed expressed an interest in learning teaching skills and felt that completing the training was helpful to their education. After instruction, this cohort of residents felt more prepared and reported they were more likely to teach.