Resident as Teacher

UMass Chan Medical School has more than 150 students in each class and they are active participants in clinical activities in pediatrics, on the wards especially, but also in our ICUs, ED, and in primary care and specialty clinics. Our conferences feature numerous talks each year to prepare our residents for their important role as teachers. 

In addition to teaching students in the traditional settings, pediatric residents have opportunities to precept in non-traditional settings. One of the special features of UMass Chan Medical School and our Children’s Medical Center is that we share a campus. Students from all four years are just down the hall (as are our research faculty) and we have students on the wards and other units on a daily basis, in addition to traditional clerkship experiences. 

 Our residents participate in unique teaching experiences with undergraduate students by:    

• Precepting first- and second-year students in our Longitudinal Preceptor Program (LPP) in which two residents pair up to precept  first- and second-year students in a variety of settings, such as the wards, clinic and ER.  This has become a favorite experience for both students and residents.  
• Participating in the third-year clerkship evaluations and administering exams (including OSCEs)
• Delivering talks and case conferences (with faculty support) to students throughout all four years of medical school
• Joining faculty in running mini-rounds for teaching first- and second-year students on the inpatient ward and PICU

These special teaching experiences are a high point for our students and residents, made possible by the proximity of the school to the clinical areas and by the closeness of the residency and clerkship director and of the residency and clerkship coordinators (who share an office!) in what is in essence a medical home for our learners.

Beyond the major role our residents play in the medical school, they also have the opportunity to participate in a recently developed resident teaching elective called “Wards Star”. Residents work with faculty to develop formal and informal teaching presentations for students and residents. They provide bedside teaching, guiding medical students through admissions and H&Ps, without the typical time constraints of being the on-service resident. At the same time, they provide invaluable support to the ward teams with morning admissions, discharges, and daily work, facilitating more efficient rounding for the on-service residents. Wards Star participants have had glowing reviews of this newer rotation, which we look forward to continuously improving and innovating.