Supervision
A clinical teacher will provide appropriate supervision for trainees. This means being willing and able to see patients under their care when action is required or when requested to by a trainee. In addition, they must take appropriate initiative to ensure that trainees are not operating outside of the realm of competence, thus jeopardizing patient care. At the same, time they must allow trainees the responsibility that is appropriate to their level of training, commensurate with their ability and necessary for their growth as clinicians.
Teaching
A clinical teacher will:
- Teach the knowledge, skills and attitudes, and provide the experience that the trainee requires to grow toward becoming a skilled and compassionate physician in their field of choice
- Demonstrate to students the rational basis for clinical decision making from investigation to diagnosis and to treatment, based on the best evidence available
- Support and encourage trainees in their endeavours to learn and to develop a sense of enquiry
- Foster the trainee’s ability to form effective therapeutic relationships with patients and families
Evaluation
A clinical teacher will:
- At the beginning of a rotation, outline the duties, responsibilities and expectations of the trainee
- Assess carefully and accurately (with a minimum of personal bias) the trainee’s abilities and provide timely verbal and written feedback to the trainee and to the trainee’s program
- In addition to a formal evaluation at the end of a rotation, provide a midpoint evaluation and make the trainee aware of any concerns about the trainee’s performance in order to provide opportunity for correction
Professional Behaviour
A clinical teacher will:
- Provide a model of compassionate care and skilled communication for trainees maintain a professional teacher/trainee relationship at all times and avoid the development of sexual and/or financial relationships with trainees
- Refrain from the intimidation and harassment of trainees in any fashion: emotional, physical or sexual
- Recognize that there is a power differential between the teacher and trainee, and therefore treat all trainees with respect regardless of race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, colour or field of study