Final Thoughts

Our approach has been to emphasize a learner-centered teaching approach rather than a teacher-centered approach. That is, your role is to facilitate and guide learning rather than to direct learning. In doing so, you foster self-directed learning and problem solving--two skills that prepare the next generation of physicians for the ever-changing world of medicine.

The practice of medicine is fun; therefore teaching medicine should be fun. You have the opportunity to work with students and residents who are among the brightest people in their age groups.

A contemporary curricular model for medical students and residents must be designed to expand learning rather than limiting learning by teaching only what is current for today. Medical students and residents must learn to learn.

The most effective learning occurs when students/residents engage in activities designed to promote thinking, problem solving and analysis.

Active learning includes encountering perplexing problems and bewildering questions to stimulate problem solving, self-directed learning, collaborative learning with peers, and information seeking using the computer to search data bases and evidence-based web sites.

The most effective learning takes place in an environment of friendship, respect and constructive feedback and not competition, threats of failure, or ridicule.

The attitudes, values and behaviors of future physicians are not shaped by coursework, but rather by the social and cultural milieu of the institution and its faculty and staff. Interactions with faculty, residents, patients, hospital staff and peers provide the models for professionalism and quality care expected of physicians.

The highest quality health care is the environment for the highest quality education of future physicians.