Your Career as a Medical Educator – Your Career as a Medical Educator – Guidance for UTMB FacultyGuidance for UTMB Faculty

Michael Ainsworth, MDMichael Ainsworth, MD

Professor, Internal MedicineProfessor, Internal Medicine

Associate Dean, Regional Medical EducationAssociate Dean, Regional Medical Education

ObjectivesObjectives

To answer the most common faculty questions about medical education– What are the opportunities to teach?– How can I develop my skills in medical education?– How can I prioritize time spent in medical education?– How do medical education activities influence career

advancement??

Hallmarks of “Good Teachers”Hallmarks of “Good Teachers”

Knowledge Knowledge – Command of the current state of knowledge in their Command of the current state of knowledge in their

areaarea

Make knowledge accessibleMake knowledge accessible– Communicate effectivelyCommunicate effectively– Adapt to the needs of the audienceAdapt to the needs of the audience– Convey a sense of genuine enthusiasm for both the Convey a sense of genuine enthusiasm for both the

subject matter and student masterysubject matter and student mastery

Able to evaluate their learnersAble to evaluate their learners– Determine their own effectivenessDetermine their own effectiveness

Why Do You Teach?Why Do You Teach?

Career goal Career goal – Want (expect) to be judged on education as a Want (expect) to be judged on education as a

substantial part of your responsibilitiessubstantial part of your responsibilities– You should excelYou should excel

Personal satisfactionPersonal satisfaction– Sense of pride; makes patient care more rewardingSense of pride; makes patient care more rewarding– You can excelYou can excel

You have no choiceYou have no choice– Students and residents are around me and it is an Students and residents are around me and it is an

expectation, not something I valueexpectation, not something I value– Responsible performance is expected, but you are Responsible performance is expected, but you are

unlikely to excelunlikely to excel

Why Do You Teach?Why Do You Teach?

You have no choiceYou have no choice– Students and residents are around me and it is an Students and residents are around me and it is an

expectationexpectation– Responsible performance is expected, but you are Responsible performance is expected, but you are

unlikely to excelunlikely to excel

What are the opportunities to teach?How can I develop my skills in medical education?How can I prioritize time spent in medical education?How do medical education activities influence career advancement??

Prioritizing Time in EducationPrioritizing Time in Education

TTeach what is teachableeach what is teachable– What does the course/program expectWhat does the course/program expect– What are you in a position to do/judgeWhat are you in a position to do/judge

IInterest in the learner and the patientnterest in the learner and the patient– Learners know you are busyLearners know you are busy– Best role model is excellent clinical careBest role model is excellent clinical care

MManage your timeanage your time– One-minute preceptor, “wave” schedulingOne-minute preceptor, “wave” scheduling

EEngage the learnerngage the learner– Expect them to know their patientsExpect them to know their patients

Why Do You Teach?Why Do You Teach?

Personal satisfactionPersonal satisfaction– Sense of pride; makes patient care more rewardingSense of pride; makes patient care more rewarding– You can excelYou can excel

What are the opportunities to teach?How can I develop my skills in medical education?How can I prioritize time spent in medical education?How do medical education activities influence career advancement??

Opportunities to TeachOpportunities to Teach

During direct patient careDuring direct patient care– Balance two rolesBalance two roles– Self-containedSelf-contained

Outside of direct patient careOutside of direct patient care– Large-group (lectures)Large-group (lectures)– Smaller group (case/problem-based learning)Smaller group (case/problem-based learning)– Assessment exercises (standardized-patient exams)Assessment exercises (standardized-patient exams)

OtherOther– Advising/mentoringAdvising/mentoring– Clinical researchClinical research

What is your strength?

Developing Skills in Medical Developing Skills in Medical EducationEducation

LecturesLectures– Often part of a series - a few hours/yearOften part of a series - a few hours/year

WorkshopsWorkshops– Often dispersed - few half-days per yearOften dispersed - few half-days per year

CoursesCourses– Some by specialty societies - a few days/yearSome by specialty societies - a few days/year

ProgramsPrograms– UTMB Scholars in Education - 3 hrs/month x 18 UTMB Scholars in Education - 3 hrs/month x 18

months plus a projectmonths plus a project– National programs - weeks to monthsNational programs - weeks to months

Accommodates a range of needs

Why Do You Teach?Why Do You Teach?

Career goal Career goal – Want (expect) to be judged on education as a Want (expect) to be judged on education as a

substantial part of your responsibilitiessubstantial part of your responsibilities– You should excelYou should excel

What are the opportunities to teach?How can I develop my skills in medical education?How can I prioritize time spent in medical education?How do medical education activities influence career advancement??

Assess Yourself and Your Assess Yourself and Your EnvironmentEnvironment

YourselfYourself– Ready to make education a priority?Ready to make education a priority?– Are you comfortable with authority/leadership?Are you comfortable with authority/leadership?– What job skills do you need to succeed?What job skills do you need to succeed?

Your environmentYour environment– Are there opportunities to develop teaching skills?Are there opportunities to develop teaching skills?– Can you identify a mentor?Can you identify a mentor?– Can you negotiate a satisfactory time commitment?Can you negotiate a satisfactory time commitment?

Just like research and patient care, you must be prepared to excel if you wish to succeed on the basis of educational effort

Medical Education as a CareerMedical Education as a Career

Must coordinate with program’s expectationsMust coordinate with program’s expectations– What if your boss has other ideas?What if your boss has other ideas?

Has such a discussion taken place?Has such a discussion taken place?

Need a support systemNeed a support system– Mentors can help you with goals, ideas, and skillsMentors can help you with goals, ideas, and skills

Most faculty never establish such a personMost faculty never establish such a person

Need a way to document accomplishmentsNeed a way to document accomplishments– The CV of most faculty does not do this wellThe CV of most faculty does not do this well

Must communicate educational Must communicate educational accomplishments accomplishments

Medical EducationMedical EducationTypes of ActivitiesTypes of Activities Measures of AchievementMeasures of Achievement

EducationEducation

Teaching, evaluating, mentoringTeaching, evaluating, mentoring

Good: How much do you doGood: How much do you do

Better: How well do you do itBetter: How well do you do it

ScholarshipScholarship

Creation, disseminationCreation, dissemination

Good: Local teaching materialsGood: Local teaching materials

Better: Presentation, publicationBetter: Presentation, publication

RecognitionRecognition

Distinguished accomplishmentsDistinguished accomplishments

Good: Learner evalsGood: Learner evals

Better: Teaching awardsBetter: Teaching awards

LeadershipLeadership

Engagement with othersEngagement with others

Good: Course directorshipGood: Course directorship

Better: Regional/national roleBetter: Regional/national role

Additional distinguishing accomplishments that can come later:Additional distinguishing accomplishments that can come later:

Original educational research, manuscripts, and grantsOriginal educational research, manuscripts, and grants

Lead - Develop - Create - DisseminateLead - Develop - Create - Disseminate

Medical EducationMedical EducationTypes of ActivitiesTypes of Activities Measures of AchievementMeasures of Achievement

EducationEducation

Teaching, evaluating, mentoringTeaching, evaluating, mentoring

Good: How much do you doGood: How much do you do

Better: How well do you do itBetter: How well do you do it

ScholarshipScholarship

Creation, disseminationCreation, dissemination

Good: Local teaching materialsGood: Local teaching materials

Better: Presentation, publicationBetter: Presentation, publication

RecognitionRecognition

Distinguished accomplishmentsDistinguished accomplishments

Good: Learner evalsGood: Learner evals

Better: Teaching awardsBetter: Teaching awards

LeadershipLeadership

Engagement with othersEngagement with others

Good: Course directorshipGood: Course directorship

Better: Regional/national roleBetter: Regional/national role

Peer ReviewPeer Review

Criticisms of EducationalCriticisms of EducationalPeer ReviewPeer Review

Peer review is not necessaryPeer review is not necessary– Myth: I know how to teachMyth: I know how to teach– Fact: Few of us have any training in educationFact: Few of us have any training in education

Peer review is not possiblePeer review is not possible– Myth: Good teaching is all about styleMyth: Good teaching is all about style– Fact: Several ways to measure effectivenessFact: Several ways to measure effectiveness

Peer review is too personal and intimidatingPeer review is too personal and intimidating– Myth: Too demeaning to critique a peer’s teachingMyth: Too demeaning to critique a peer’s teaching– Fact: Accepted in research and patient careFact: Accepted in research and patient care

How to Deal With Peer ReviewHow to Deal With Peer Review

Peer Review ofPeer Review of ExamplesExamplesTeaching and evaluation skillsTeaching and evaluation skills

Peers observe, critique and counsel on Peers observe, critique and counsel on lecturing, group facilitation, assessment, or lecturing, group facilitation, assessment, or feedbackfeedback

Office of Educational Office of Educational Development (OED)Development (OED)

Academy of Master Academy of Master TeachersTeachers

Teaching materials and scholarshipTeaching materials and scholarshipPeers evaluate your original education Peers evaluate your original education materials or ideasmaterials or ideas

OED, Med Ed PortalOED, Med Ed Portal

SGEA, RIMESGEA, RIME

Specialty meetingsSpecialty meetings

Leadership skillsLeadership skillsSeek out projects and leadership rolesSeek out projects and leadership roles

Course directorsCourse directors

Nat’l societiesNat’l societies

Traits of Successful Medical Traits of Successful Medical EducatorsEducators

Maintained a dialogue with their bossMaintained a dialogue with their boss

Sought opportunities to advance their skillsSought opportunities to advance their skills

Sought and maintained a relationship with a Sought and maintained a relationship with a mentormentor

Created a portfolioCreated a portfolio

Sought opportunities to demonstrate Sought opportunities to demonstrate leadershipleadership

Solicited peer reviewSolicited peer review

Conceptual Thresholds for Conceptual Thresholds for Advancement for Educators*Advancement for Educators*CategoryCategory To AssociateTo Associate

ProfessorProfessor

To FullTo Full

ProfessorProfessorTeaching

Activity

5 – 10 years5 – 10 years

plus peer reviewplus peer review

10 - 15+ years10 - 15+ years

plus peer reviewplus peer review

Scholarship

RegionalRegional

presentations orpresentations or

publicationspublications

NationalNational

presentations orpresentations or

publicationspublications

Recognitions LocalLocal

teaching awardsteaching awards

Regional/Nat’l awardsRegional/Nat’l awards

Teaching AcademiesTeaching Academies

Responsibilities Local projects Local projects

or leadershipor leadership

Course director or Course director or national leadershipnational leadership

*These represent guidelines for faculty on the non-tenure track, and are the views of Dr. Ainsworth, not a specific policy for advancement. Departments and promotion committees consider the qualifications of each candidate individually.

Success and HappinessSuccess and Happinessas a Medical Educatoras a Medical Educator

Talk to your bossTalk to your boss

Take advantage of courses and workshopsTake advantage of courses and workshops

Find a mentorFind a mentor

Start a portfolioStart a portfolio

Seek leadership rolesSeek leadership roles

Solicit peer reviewSolicit peer review

Realize some of this will be “on your own Realize some of this will be “on your own time”time”