Learning and Teaching in The Clinical Environment

Presented By- Dr.
Pushplata Arya,PT
Asst. Prof
LFAMS
Learning and teaching in the

clinical environment
Clinical teaching
That is, teaching and learning focused on, and
usually directly involving, patients and their
problems—lies at the heart of medical
education.
At undergraduate level, medical schools strive to
give students as much clinical exposure as
possible; they are also increasingly giving
students contact with patients earlier in the
course.
For postgraduates, “on the job” clinical teaching
is the core of their professional development.
How can a clinical teacher optimise the
teaching and learning opportunities that arise
in daily practice?
Strengths, problems, and challenges
 Learning in the clinical Common problems with clinical
teaching
environment has many x Lack of clear objectives and
expectations
strengths. It is focused on x Focus on factual recall rather
real problems in the context than on development of
problem
of professional practice. solving skills and attitudes
Learners are motivated by x Teaching pitched at the wrong
level (usually too high)
its relevance and through x Passive observation rather
active participation. than active participation of
learners
Professional thinking, x Inadequate supervision and
behaviour, and attitudes are provision of feedback
x Little opportunity for reflection
“modelled” by teachers. and discussion
x “Teaching by humiliation”
x Informed consent not sought
from patients
The importance of planning
 Many principles of good teaching,
however, can (and should) be
incorporated into clinical teaching.
One of the most important is the
need for planning.
 Far from compromising spontaneity,
planning provides structure and
context for both teacher and
students, as well as a framework for
reflection and evaluation.
 Preparation is recognised by students
as evidence of a good clinical teacher.
How doctors teach
 Almost all doctors are involved in clinical teaching at

some point in their careers, and most undertake the
job conscientiously and enthusiastically. However,
few receive any formal training in teaching skills, and
in the past there has been an assumption that if a
person simply knows a lot about their subject, they
will be able to teach it. In reality, of course, although
subject expertise is important, itis not sufficient.
Effective clinical teachers use several distinct, if
overlapping, forms of knowledge.
How students learn
Understanding the learning process will help clinical teachers to

be more effective. Several theories are relevant.
Cognitive theories argue that learning involves processing
information through interplay between existing knowledge
and new knowledge. An important influencing factor is what
the learner knows already.
The quality of the resulting new knowledge depends not only
on “activating” this prior knowledge but also on the degree of
elaboration that takes place. The more elaborate the resulting
knowledge, the more easily it will be retrieved, particularly
when learning takes place in the context in which the
knowledge will be used.
Experiential learning
 Experiential learning theory holds that learning is often most

effective when based on experience. Several models have
been described, the common feature being a cyclical process
linking concrete experience with abstract conceptualisation
through reflection and planning.
 Reflection is standing back and thinking about experience
(What did it mean? How does it relate to previous experience?
How did I feel?).
 Planning involves anticipating the application of new theories
and skills (What will I do next time?). The experiential learning
cycle, which can be entered at any stage, provides a useful
framework for planning teaching sessions.
Experiential learning
How to use cognitive learning theory in clinical

teaching
Help students to identify what they already know
x “Activate” prior knowledge through brainstorming and
briefing
Help students elaborate their knowledge
x Provide a bridge between existing and new
information—for example, use of clinical examples,
comparisons, analogies
x Debrief the students afterwards
x Promote discussion and reflection
x Provide relevant but variable contexts for the learning
 Questions
 Questions may fulfil many purposes, such as to
clarify understanding, to promote curiosity, and to
emphasise key points. They can be classified as
“closed,” “open,” and “clarifying” (or “probing”)
questions.
 In theory, open questions are more likely to
promote deeper thinking, but if they are too broad
they may be equally ineffective. The purpose of
clarifying and probing questions is self evident.
 Questions can be sequenced to draw out
contributions or be built on to promote thinking
at higher cognitive levels and to develop new
understanding
Explanation
 Teaching usually involves a lot of explanation, ranging from the
(all too common) short lecture to “thinking aloud.” The latter is a
powerful way of “modelling” professional thinking, giving the
novice insight into experts’ clinical reasoning and decision
making (not easily articulated in a didactic way).
 There are close analogies between teacher-student and doctor-

patient communication, and the principles for giving clear
explanations apply. If in doubt, pitch things at a low level and
work upwards.
 As the late Sydney Jacobson, a journalist, said, “Never
underestimate the person’s intelligence, but don’t overestimate
their knowledge.” Not only does a good teacher avoid answer in
questions, but he or she also questions answers.
Teaching on the wards
 Despite a long and
worthy tradition, the
hospital ward is not an
ideal teaching venue.
None the less, with
preparation and
forethought, learning
opportunities can be
maximised with
minimal disruption to
staff, patients, and
their relatives.
Teaching in the clinic
 Although teaching during consultations is

organisationally appealing and minimally
disruptive, it is limited in what it can achieve
if students remain passive observers. With
relatively little impact on the running of a
clinic, students can participate more actively.
The patient’s role
 Sir William Osler’s dictum that “it is a safe rule

to have no teaching without a patient for a
text, and the best teaching is that taught by
the patient himself” is well known.
 The importance of learning from the patient
has been repeatedly emphasised. For
example, generations of students have been
exhorted to “listen to the patient—he is
telling you the diagnosis
Thank You…..

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Presented By- Dr.

Learning and teaching in the

 Almost all doctors are involved in clinical teaching at

Understanding the learning process will help clinical teachers to

 Experiential learning theory holds that learning is often most

How to use cognitive learning theory in clinical

 There are close analogies between teacher-student and doctor-

 Although teaching during consultations is

 Sir William Osler’s dictum that “it is a safe rule

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