How can we Develop Postgraduate Students as Clinical Teachers?

Postgraduate students' (PGs) professional development involves clinical tutoring of undergraduate students (UGs). This presents challenges as many PGs have no teaching experience and come from overseas/interstate so their educational/clinical experiences often differ from our school's approaches. Objectives: Our aim was to develop an effective training program to support PGs as clinical tutors. Methods: Issues for PG tutors were identified by surveys, review of UG evaluations of clinical teaching and analysis by clinic co-ordinators of tutors' written feedback for UGs. From these data, literature on effective program design for clinical teachers, and a staff and student focus group, we identified learning issues, situations and activities needed to support PGs. The selected clinical situations were reviewed by our clinical educators committee. The initial program outcomes were evaluated with Likert scale survey items with response categories, 'not at all', 'to a small extent', 'to a reasonable extent', and 'to a great extent', and open-ended questions. Results: PGs needed guidance in applying the school's clinical practices and assessment criteria and standards, and providing feedback. The clinical educators considered the developed situations were realistic and in context. The activity design required PGs to learn actively, and apply and discuss their learning, and receive feedback, augmented with resource guides. The activities involved applying criteria, assessing and providing feedback on cavity preparations, UG clinic performances in videos of simulated encounters, or records from UG patient notes. At least 16 of 18 (>85%) PG participants indicated that, to a reasonable or great extent, the program was well organised, provided valuable and realistic learning activities that enabled them to identify key assessment issues, and provided adequate feedback. Analysis of learning outcomes is being completed. Conclusions: PGs had strongly positive perceptions that the program was an effective preparation for their clinical teaching. Teach Dev Grant 03/04:University of Adelaide