Exploring the Attributes of Exemplary Facilitators in Family Medicine Residencies: Implications for Practice Transformation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Facilitation is common in the era of practice transformation. Much of the literature on practice facilitators focuses on the role of external facilitators who come into a practice to aid in practice transformation efforts. Our study sought to better understand the attributes of exemplary facilitators. METHODS: We conducted 10 structured interviews in four family medicine residencies. RESULTS: Program directors easily identified internal staff who serve informally as exemplary facilitators. Despite varying jobs, they possess seven identifiable attributes within three broad domains: task orientation, relational skills, and emotional intelligence. CONCLUSIONS: Given the increasing cost of practice transformation and the finite resources in many clinics, this study can help leaders identify current employees best suited for facilitation.

When learners become teachers: a review of peer teaching in medical student education.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Peer teaching engages students as teachers and is widely used in K-12 education, many universities, and increasingly in medical schools. It draws on the social and cognitive congruence between learner and teacher and can be attractive to medical schools faced with a growing number of learners but a static faculty size. Peer teachers can give lectures on assigned topics, lead problem-based learning sessions, and provide one on one support to classmates in the form of tutoring. METHODS: We undertook a narrative review of research on peer teachers in medical school, specifically investigating how medical students are impacted by being peer teachers and how having a peer teacher impacts learners. RESULTS: Studies have shown that peer teaching has a primarily positive impact on both the peer teacher and the learners. In the setting of problem-based learning courses or clinical skills instruction, medical students' performance on tests of knowledge or skills is similar whether they have faculty instructors or peer teachers. There is also strong evidence that being a peer teacher enhances the learning of the peer teacher relative to the content being taught. It is common for peer teachers to lack confidence in their abilities to successfully teach, and they appreciate receiving training related to their teaching role. CONCLUSIONS: We find evidence from several different educational settings that peer teaching benefits both the peer teachers and the learners. This suggests that peer teaching is a valuable methodology for medical schools to engage learners as teachers.

Scholarly Activities of Family Medicine Faculty: Results of a National Survey.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This survey examined how family medicine residency programs define scholarly activity, the productivity of programs, and perceived barriers to scholarly work. Five types of residency programs are compared: university-based, community-based (unaffiliated, university-affiliated, university-administered), and military. METHODS: A 13 item web-based questionnaire was sent to all 455 U. S. family medicine residency programs. The survey solicited demographic information as well as program expectations of faculty, presence of a research coordinator/director, activities considered scholarly, productivity, and perceived barriers. RESULTS: A total of 177 surveys were completed for a response rate of 38%, similar to response rates of web-based surveys in the literature. 67.6% of programs encouraged, but did not require scholarly activity, and 44.5% indicated their program had no research coordinator/ director. University-based programs had the highest levels of productivity compared to other program types. Primary barriers to scholarly activity noted were lack of time (73/138, 53%) and lack of supportive infrastructure (37/138, 27%). CONCLUSIONS: While interpretations are limited by the response rate of the survey, results provide an increased understanding of how programs define scholarly activity as well as reference points for faculty productivity. This information can help program directors when setting criteria for scholarly work.