27.11.12
Clinicians must focus on training in acute medical units
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has launched a new toolkit to help clinicians focus on quality education as well as delivering essential care.
The toolkit includes technical tips and examples for weaving teaching into the daily work of the unit, teaching in short chunks, ward round techniques for teaching, delivering effective feedback and teaching topics suitable for the AMU.
The RCP is also organising an education induction as part of trainees’ introduction to the AMU. The toolkit recommends every AMU should have a lead consultant for education, with no other commitments when they are on call, and access a dedicated teaching space.
Dr Nicola Cooper, lead author of the toolkit, said: “Acute medical units are rich learning environments. Work-based teaching and learning is vital in postgraduate medical education, but consultants often feel too busy to teach. However, consultants can facilitate on-the-job learning for their more junior colleagues in several different ways, and this need not take more time. The toolkit sets out how they can do this.”
Dr Mark Temple, RCP acute care fellow and toolkit series lead, said: “Consultant physicians with duties on the Acute Medical Unit have a critical role in teaching medical trainees and ensuring that the next generation of physicians is equipped to provide care of the highest quality. This toolkit provides practical advice for consultants on how best to deliver this teaching, in a very busy clinical environment.”
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