Peer Observation of Rounds Leads to Collegial Discussion of Teaching

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Faculty Development
• Clinical Teaching

Background:

• Hospital Medicine faculty, primarily Assistant Professors, provide significant clinical teaching.
• Many faculty have limited formal instruction in clinical teaching.
• Previous interventions included discussions, written expectations, and seminars, but not direct observation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a direct observation exercise for improving clinical teaching.
• To encourage discussion and contemplation of changes in teaching techniques among faculty.
• To assess the impact of peer-to-peer observation on faculty teaching behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A social learning model was used for peer-to-peer observation and non-evaluative discussion.
• A tool was developed to describe teaching behaviors across five domains.
• Faculty discussed and recorded planned changes in teaching behaviors post-observation.

Main Results:

• The exercise led to planned changes in teaching behaviors, including team leadership, patient triage, and feedback delivery.
• Faculty reported adopting new, personally relevant teaching behaviors.
• Commonly planned changes focused on team leadership and organizational aspects.

Conclusions:

• Direct observation was easily implemented and resulted in planned and adopted teaching behavior changes.
• The exercise fostered peer learning and professional development.
• Junior faculty showed a preference for observing senior faculty when given a choice.