Objective: To improve clinical teaching with emphasis on improving provision of feedback through a faculty development series modeled on clinical rounds.
Method: Seven 1-hour conferences were held for the pediatric faculty during the academic year 1994-1995. Clinical rounds were emulated, with a simulated learner functioning as the patient with a chief complaint of some instructional problem. The conferences progressed from discussion about teaching in a particular situation, to videotapes of clinical teaching, and finally to live clinical teaching. Evaluation of the conferences was assessed by attendance records, participants' evaluations of the conferences, and comparing student and resident evaluations of faculty who attended (i.e., those who attended > or = 2) with faculty who did not attend. Comparisons were made for the academic year before and after the conferences using paired t tests.
Results: Forty percent of the faculty attended 2 or more conferences. Mean conference ratings were 4.00 to 4.35, (1 is poor; 5, excellent). Faculty who attended had a significant improvement in ratings for feedback (P = .01) and overall teaching effectiveness (P = .04). Ratings for faculty who did not attend did not change.
Conclusion: These conferences were well received by the faculty and are an effective way to improve clinical teaching.