Teaching Tips & Didactic Sessions, Department of Medicine in the Medical School at the University of Minnesota

  1. Residents and students prefer interactive mini lectures on topics relevant to your patients.  (Afternoons are better; Make it active – ask questions to diagnose your learners, before discussing a topic.)
  2. Delegate your learners to deliver talks on their patients.  This works particularly well when a student asks you a question.  Your answer, “That’s a terrific question.  Would you mind to talk to us all about that tomorrow morning?” 
  3. Bedside rounds are a terrific opportunity to observe your learners in action and to teach physical examination. 
  4. Work Rounds—“running the list”—can contain teaching and instruction, but cannot take the place of active learning opportunities.
  5. Oral patient presentations are also a good opportunity to assess the learner.  Be sure to diagnose your learner after they have completed the presentation…  For example, “What do you think is going on with the patient?” or “Why do you think this patient’s blood pressure is high?”  It’s very tempting to simply tell them what they need to do for the patient.  Don’t fall into that trap!
    

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Last modified on Thursday Dec 14, 2006

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