A teaching bank of audiovisual materials for family practice

Although increasing emphasis has been placed in recent years on the production and use of audiovisual materials in medical education, little work has yet been done on the identification and application of these materials in family practice teaching programs. This paper describes the content, uses, limitations, and initial experience of a Teaching Bank developed to support family practice teaching in varied settings. Video cassette and tape-slide units are most useful; audio cassettes alone are less likely to be selected. The evaluation of content, quality, and effectiveness of audiovisual media poses a particular problem. Although audiovisual materials can enhance learning based on different individual learning needs and styles, they cannot stand alone and usually must be supplemented by other teaching methods.