Q: Am I a good teacher? What attributes do I possess that make one? What attributes do I still need to develop?
A: I have been teaching medical students for the past for more than 15 years and I have seen the evolution of not only the course curriculum and teaching strategies but moreso the students' attitude and perspective towards clinical teaching and learning. Over the years, I have learned that one of the most important qualities or attributes of a good clinical teacher are the following:
(1) TIME, the primary requisite, learning will not take place if a clinical teacher does not have time for student interaction and learning. Despite the busy schedule, I try my best to spend time with students, clinical clerks, mentors, like in the clinics as they watch and observe as I see and assess patients at the out-patient clinic, and when we do quick bedside rounds. I make it a point that they can pick 1 or 2 learning pearls in every case that we see.
(2) CONTENT MASTERY & CLINICAL COMPETENCE. A teacher must be expert in the field or topic. With the advent of technology, students can easily detect if the clinical teacher is really knowledgeable about a particular topic or even through the demonstration of skills during feedback questions. I make it a point to also read current evidence-based trends in the diagnosis and management of diseases.
(3) UNSELFISHNESS and PATIENCE. In the course of my teaching career, I realize the value of passing the torch and sharing your knowledge and skills to your students for they will be your doctors in the future. One of the measure of a successful clinical teacher is when your former students positively acknowledges you as their teacher or mentor during their medical career and they have learned at least 1 or 2 lifelong clinical pearls during their interaction with you, a validation of you as a good clinical teacher.
I still have to give more TIME to the new generation of medical students, and LEARN their different attitudes and perspectives about the medical profession. I also want to instill to them the attitudinal values of COMPASSION and EMPATHY which are very important values in patient care which I think is slowly fading in the medical environment.