The house officer as a teacher: what schools expect and measure

Teaching is generally regarded as an important function of the house officer not only from a practical viewpoint but also as an integral part of the training of a professional. A survey by the Association of American Medical Colleges shows, however, that unlike other competencies, the house officer's teaching is not explicitly evaluated in most graduate training programs. Furthermore, it appears that the teaching role itself is not always well defined. It is urged that, if the teaching role is regarded as an important element in graduate medical education, earlier and more gradual preparation of the medical student for that role is needed.