Module 7: Teaching in the Inpatient Setting

Practical Hints for Attending Physicians

• Be a great professional role model.
• Be enthusiastic and caring for patients and students/residents.
• Facilitate learning. Support and encourage self-directed learning and problem solving.
• Model life-long learning.
• Vary your routine. Spontaneity keeps all the learners interested.
• Model history and physical examination skills. No matter what specialty, physicians all interact with patients and the history and physical is basic to the practice of medicine. Studying the interactions between a physician and a patient tends to yield wonderful teachable moments.
• Include all the learners in various teaching activities. Whether it’s a bedside procedure or operating room procedure or controversial discussion, learners value hands-on interactions and sharing clinical pearls.
• Make dedicated teaching time a priority. Writing progress notes, dictating admission or surgical reports, or filling out billing sheets are some of the activities that are best reserved as your own personal homework.
• Introduce, reinforce and practice evidence-based medicine.
• Effective teaching requires preparation. Think about the current clinical context and mold your teaching topics within this context. Anticipate teachable moments.
• Experiment with various teaching styles and activities. Actively seek feedback about your teaching from your learners.
• Don’t forget to give frequent and timely feedback to your learners.
• Never be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”