Becoming a Clinical Teacher: Identity Formation in Context

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Faculty Development
• Workplace Learning

Background:

• Clinical teachers often lack formal training.
• Existing faculty development programs face challenges with attendance, knowledge transfer, and sustainability.
• Understanding how clinicians become teachers informally is crucial for designing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of research on how clinicians become teachers within their clinical environments.
• To inform the design of future workplace-based faculty development initiatives.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted in June 2017, searching 12 databases.
• Articles were screened using iteratively developed inclusion/exclusion criteria.
• Data were charted and synthesized using thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Thirty-four research reports were included.
• Most studies (24/34) focused on individual identity construction, with fewer (10/34) viewing it as socially relational.
• Many studies (29/34) lacked explicit theoretical frameworks, limiting rigor and transferability.

Conclusions:

• Clinicians integrate teaching identities by juggling, finding mutuality, or merging roles to manage tensions.
• This occurs in hierarchical settings prioritizing patient care and research over teaching.
• Findings highlight the need for faculty development that acknowledges the social and environmental context of clinical teaching.