A Description of a Validated Effective Teacher-Training Workshop for Medical Residents

A teacher-training program for residents was designed and piloted in the St. Elisabeth Hospital in Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. The program comprised of six modules namely: effective teaching, self-knowledge and teaching ability, feedback, assessing prior knowledge, trouble shooting and time management.

Instruction was provided during a two-day workshop with eight hours instruction time per day. Residents in the first three years of training participated, and the instructors were experienced clinicians. Lectures, group discussions, case simulations, video presentations and role-plays were the forms of instruction.

Using standardized questionnaires, the participants rated the quality of the workshop highly. They considered it to be a feasible and appropriate educational intervention and that it had a positive impact on their teaching skills.

This workshop was developed based on careful analysis of medical residents' perceived educational needs and systematically implemented and evaluated. The results show that it is a suitable and effective educational intervention.