The clinical teacher
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The clinical teacher · Feb 2013
A community continuity programme: volunteer faculty mentors and continuity learning.
Longitudinal generalist preceptorship experiences early in medical education can have beneficial effects on how students practise the art and science of medicine, regardless of their eventual career choices. ⋯ An integrative, longitudinal, community-based, early clinical experience programme driven by volunteer CMs provides patient-centered instruction for preclinical students in the clinical, social, behavioural, ethical and research foundations of medicine.
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Handover is a key activity in acute health care, with patient safety implications if it is not performed well. This is becoming more important with shorter working hours and therefore a greater number of handovers. Despite this there is a paucity of evidence to guide education to enhance practice. A teaching session for senior medical students on handover of care was devised, delivered and evaluated, with the aim of producing a theoretically sound intervention that is acceptable to students and can be delivered with limited resources. ⋯ A pedagogically sound teaching session, based on best-evidence theories for modelling handover practice, is presented. The perceived ability to handover has also been extremely high after the intervention. Other educators can use this intervention as a starting point for designing interventions within their own setting, and to allow future research to investigate the effectiveness of such interventions.
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International Medical Graduates (IMGs) are more likely to be involved in complaints and have lower pass rates for professional examinations. Language barriers and differences in culture and consulting style are suggested to be the cause. A programme was developed in Dumfries and Galloway to address these issues, aiming to provide language and consultation skills training, and create a culture where these issues could be discussed openly. ⋯ The programme was valued by all those involved, and showed that short-term interventions can improve language and consultation skills, potentially helping to address the challenges faced by this particular group of doctors.
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Out-patient clinics offer trainees one of the most varied clinical experiences within the hospital setting, but they are often chaotic and over-stretched, with limited time for teaching. An awareness of how to improve this learning environment by both trainers and trainees may enhance learning opportunities. ⋯ To maximise the learning opportunities within out-patient clinics there needs to be a shift in culture to promote learning in a safe and non-threatening environment. The establishment of a community of practice may validate the role of trainees in the management of patients and facilitate social learning by all members of the clinical team.