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Doctors as teachers

September 2006

Foreword
In the medical profession, teaching expertise has traditionally been assumed to be a part of clinical or scientific expertise. Only since the second half of the 20th century has teaching been acknowledged as a skill in its own right. Through formal or informal training or supervision of students, junior staff and other professionals, all doctors are involved in teaching to some extent. The presumption that only the proper understanding of a clinical discipline is enough to fulfil a doctor’s educational obligation is no longer tenable.

All doctors require basic training in teaching skills. Those who assume more formal teaching responsibilities should be qualified appropriately. Recent years have seen a number of encouraging developments and an increased recognition of the importance of teaching by individual doctors and throughout the profession. With the diverse range of teacher education programmes currently available, doctors now have the opportunity to acquire the skills of a professional educator alongside their progression as clinicians and researchers. There are, however, a number of challenges that limit the development of medical teachers including the poor profile of teaching compared to the many other responsibilities which a doctor is required to carry out, and the absence of a formal pathway to teaching competence. In parallel with the developments in the provision of teaching there have also been significant changes in the nature and scope of medical education itself. The introduction of self-directed and problem-based learning, revised assessment procedures and changes to curricula and syllabuses will undoubtedly impact on the medical profession and its wider role, and must be borne in mind when considering what part should be played by doctors in teaching.

The aim of this report is to examine various aspects of teaching in the medical profession including who provides the teaching, what challenges are faced in delivering this teaching and how the impact of these challenges can be reduced or eliminated. The report is for doctors, medical workforce managers, and healthcare, academic, training and regulatory organisations that have strategic and operational responsibilities for the career progression and development of doctors.


Professor Sir Charles George
Chair, Board of Medical Education