Developing teachers of clinical reasoning

Abstract

Background: Front-line teachers seek guidance and tools to instruct and remediate clinical reasoning, but effective professional development methods to accomplish these goals have not been reported.

Methods: A 2-hour workshop was developed to empower front-line clinician educators to teach and remediate clinical reasoning by understanding the cognitive steps in the clinical reasoning process which can be leveraged in clinical settings. The workshop has been given 19 times over 6 years and uses interactive didactic presentations, facilitated discussion and dyad exercises, followed by small group analysis of trainee cases, where the diagnosis and remediation of clinical reasoning issues are practised.

Results: The quality and organisation of the session and the participants' intentions to change their teaching practice were rated higher than faculty development seminars in the same academic years. Participants cited the four-step model, technology analogies and the opportunity to analyse cases with peers as highly effective elements of the workshop.

Discussion: Similarly structured faculty development seminars may help bring insights from clinical reasoning theory to bedside and classroom instruction.