Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Who are the best educators for medical students?

Kunal Shetty
Education
August 6, 2019
115 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

I shared my assessment and plan with the preceptor as she walked into the room. She cut me off, “You think this patient needs surgery?” she smirked. “He has no idea what he is talking about, don’t mind him,” she whispered loudly to the patient. I kept quiet until the patient left, and my preceptor began writing her note. I pulled up a recent research article I had found prior to interviewing the patient and explained why I had suggested surgery. “OK, but I don’t do it that way, bye!” she replied without turning her head from the computer screen. I left the room, not entirely sure why we had decided on the course of management we did.

The clinical practice of medicine is fascinating in that teaching and mentoring is an integral part of the profession, yet there is very little medical training on how to be an effective educator for both students and physicians in our current training model.

One may make the argument that they did not sign up to teach their colleagues when they signed up to practice medicine. But few physicians would say they did not sign up to take care of patients. Having knowledgeable future physicians who are inspired, passionate, and excited to strive for improvement is in the best interests of everyone in the field and will ultimately benefit the most important people in the field: the patients.

But who are the best educators for medical students in medicine? From my own experiences, I have found they have three key qualities. They serve as a role model, they are able to mentor, and they have learned to teach. I define a role model as someone students aspire to be like, a mentor as someone who is able to guide students in their career, and a teacher as someone who is able to effectively explain clinical and medical information in a way others can understand and apply themselves.

Even embracing one of these qualities is important. Many physicians may have too much of a workload to mentor or may not have a knack for teaching but can serve as a role model by engaging in professional behavior with their colleagues and patients.  The vast majority of medical practitioners fulfill this role, and with deference to the busy workload of a physician, it is enough for students.

Teaching and mentoring require a further level of personal investment, and require formalized feedback and experience to master. Medical schools often offer tutoring, teaching assistants positions, and peer mentorship groups. However, oftentimes, there are selection processes that exclude interested students, or these opportunities are not readily available at all medical schools. Some residency programs offer residency teaching courses, which can be an invaluable resource in creating physician-educators. During most medical schools primary pre-clinical curriculum, interested physician faculty who generally have an interest in teaching and mentoring have the opportunity to run didactics sessions or problem based learning with students. Institutions with residency programs often have training for faculty to help them teach and mentor residents.

However, in many of these instances, there is an optional component, and medical students or physicians have to actively seek out those institutional programs that provide these opportunities. Perhaps the selection criteria for medicine should aim to seek out those with individuals with comfort with teaching and mentoring.

When selecting interested applicants into medical school and residency, rather than creating a numerical arms race with GPA and MCAT, it is worth formulating selection criteria for holistic qualities including experiences with teaching and mentoring. It is worth building an educational curriculum where mandatory training on teaching and mentoring is built early on in medical school and continued throughout residency training. In this way, a physician also becomes a master educator and can give back to the medical field while practicing.

I remember a particularly good learning experience. I shared my assessment and plan with another preceptor when she walked into the room. “That was a good presentation, but another area we want to ask is about school performance. Chronic ear infections can often cause problems with hearing and speech, and we need to make sure we address that element when we see patients with ear infections,” she explained to the patient and myself. This was a simple point and took five seconds, but an invaluable and relevant medical consideration. This is one example, but there are many phenomenal educators in medicine who are able to make an impact on student’s lives and even help a student cultivate a passion for their field that they may have not discovered without their guidance.

Although those who did medicine may not have wanted to be an educator, by taking part in the practice of medicine, you are by definition an educator, both to your colleagues and patients.

Kunal Shetty is a medical student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

The importance of patient education before surgery

August 6, 2019 Kevin 0
…
Next

No doctor should have to side hustle to make a good living

August 6, 2019 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Hospital-Based Medicine, Medical school

Post navigation

< Previous Post
The importance of patient education before surgery
Next Post >
No doctor should have to side hustle to make a good living

More by Kunal Shetty

  • Communicating honestly with patients about uncertainty

    Kunal Shetty

Related Posts

  • How medical education fails minority students

    Shenyece Ferguson
  • Why medical students should be taught the business side of medicine

    Martinus Megalla
  • Advice for first-year medical students

    Jamie Katuna
  • Physicians and medical students: Unlearn helplessness

    Jamie Katuna
  • Polarizing medical students do not foster discussion and education

    Anonymous
  • An open letter to graduating medical students

    Lilian White

More in Education

  • Breaking the silence: the truth about mental health challenges among medical students and why medical schools must take action

    Erin Waldrop
  • Breaking the stigma: Encouraging mental health help-seeking in medical trainees

    Anonymous
  • I’m not so different from Lionel Messi – and neither are you

    Lauren Tien
  • 6 ways ChatGPT can help you succeed in medical school

    Drew Bergman
  • Is it time to say goodbye to medical school rankings?

    James Goldchild
  • The unintended consequences of ERAS: Are we losing unique applicants?

    Ank Agarwal, Aditya Narayan, Joshua Leaston, and Akshay Bhamidipati
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A patient’s perspective on the diminishing relationship between doctors and patients

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Unmasking wage disparity in health care: the truth behind the Elmhurst Hospital physician strike

      Kevin Pho, MD | KevinMD
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • How electronic health records preserve patients’ legacies in the words of oncologists

      Marc Braunstein, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Unmasking the brutal reality of gun violence in America: a call to action for unity and meaningful change

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Policy
    • Emulating Michael Jordan’s winning mindset: a path to success for health care professionals and entrepreneurs

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The growing threat to transgender health care: implications for patients, providers, and trainees

      Carson Hartlage | Policy
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Raw humanity on night float: inspiring patient encounters and overcoming challenges

      Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Is AI the solution for the shortage of nephrologists? ChatGPT weighs in.

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Tech
    • Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • Why HIPAA is failing and what you need to know to protect your data [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 2 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • What Drug Did FDA Just Approve for COVID?
  • PET Scan for Alzheimer's Dx; Predicting Colon Cancer Survival
  • What Happens When We Classify Kids' Weight as a 'Disease'?
  • Sotagliflozin Gets FDA's Blessing for Heart Failure
  • Cardiorespiratory Monitoring Can Be Telling of Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Infants

Meeting Coverage

  • No Access to Routine Healthcare Biggest Barrier to HPV Vaccination
  • Trial Results Spark Talk of Curing More Metastatic Cervical Cancers
  • Cross-Border Collaboration Improves Survival in Pediatric Leukemia Patients
  • Monoclonal Antibody Reduced Need For Transfusions in Low-Risk MDS
  • Less-Invasive Surgery for Pancreatic Cancer Proves Safe, Effective
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • A patient’s perspective on the diminishing relationship between doctors and patients

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Unmasking wage disparity in health care: the truth behind the Elmhurst Hospital physician strike

      Kevin Pho, MD | KevinMD
    • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Policy
    • How electronic health records preserve patients’ legacies in the words of oncologists

      Marc Braunstein, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Unmasking the brutal reality of gun violence in America: a call to action for unity and meaningful change

      Osmund Agbo, MD | Policy
    • Emulating Michael Jordan’s winning mindset: a path to success for health care professionals and entrepreneurs

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The growing threat to transgender health care: implications for patients, providers, and trainees

      Carson Hartlage | Policy
    • Breaking point: the 5 reasons American doctors are dreaming of walking away from medicine

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Physician
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The power of coaching for physicians: transforming thoughts, changing lives

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
    • Why doctors aren’t to blame for the U.S. opioid crisis [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Raw humanity on night float: inspiring patient encounters and overcoming challenges

      Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Is AI the solution for the shortage of nephrologists? ChatGPT weighs in.

      Amol Shrikhande, MD | Tech
    • Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants

      Althea Halchuck, EJD | Conditions
    • Why HIPAA is failing and what you need to know to protect your data [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Who are the best educators for medical students?
2 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...