Effective Bedside Teaching for Medical Students, Residents, and Other Learners

Abstract

Regardless of specialty, medical education is a long road. Along the way, learners gradually take on more clinical responsibilities. Depending on the institution, these duties can include bedside teaching of medical students as early as the intern year of residency. Despite this, many resident and attending physicians don’t receive formalized instruction on how to be an effective bedside teacher. Please don’t let this deter you from engaging with learners. Providing education is one of the most rewarding elements of many physicians’ careers, and it does not require you to practice in a purely academic setting. Most medical schools send their students out into the community to complete rotations, and in community emergency medicine there are often opportunities to educate physician assistant, nurse practitioner, and paramedic students as well. Here are seven initial tips and tricks to help you start your journey as an effective bedside teacher.