Learning How to Teach is Fun!

Jennifer E. Yeh, M.D., Ph.D

Resident in Dermatology 

Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham and Women's Hospital 

PGY 4

10/28/2020

Group brainstorm of challenges of clinical teaching

During my residency training, I have been fortunate to have opportunities to practice my teaching skills. However, while these were great opportunities to practice what to teach, I have never received any formal guidance on how to teach. By completing the half-day Centers of Expertise (COE) Clinical Teaching Skills course, I not only had an opportunity to hone my teaching skills but also learned about cognitive science and discussed strategies for overcoming common challenges of clinical teaching such as limited time, different levels of learners, and a virtual environment.

I especially enjoyed the 5-minute teaching scenario exercise because it was such a fun way to interact with residents and fellows in other specialties while practicing how to teach bite-sized nuggets of dermatology information. It was helpful to see how other trainees interested in medical education engage their learners.

Participating in this course reinforced by passion for academic medicine. I look forward to using what I learned from this course in my role as chief resident while planning the didactic curriculum and while teaching and giving feedback to rotating medical students and junior residents in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. This course highlighted how to cultivate a growth mindset for giving, seeking, and receiving feedback which I look forward to implementing myself.

As Dr. Milligan, one of the faculty directors of this course, appropriately said: “Today is a great day to learn something new!”