Medical teacher
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We now live, learn, teach and practice medicine in the digital era. Social networking sites are used by at least half of all adults. Engagement with social media can be personal, professional, or both, for health-related and educational purposes. Use is often public. Lapses in professionalism can have devastating consequences, but when used well social media can enhance the lives of and learning by health professionals and trainees, ultimately for public good. Both risks and opportunities abound for individuals who participate, and health professionals need tips to enhance use and avoid pitfalls in their use of social media and to uphold their professional values. ⋯ These practical tips help the newcomer to social media get started by identifying goals, establishing comfort, and connecting. Furthermore, users can ultimately successfully contribute, engage, learn, and teach, and model professional behaviors while navigating social media.
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While most medical schools have students teach other students, few offer formal education in teaching skills, and fewer provide teaching theory together with experiential teaching practice. Furthermore, curriculum evaluation of teaching education is lacking. ⋯ Reinforcing educational theory with practical teaching experience under direct faculty supervision promotes teaching competency for graduating medical students. The intertwined didactic plus practical model can be applied to various teaching contexts to fulfil the mandate that medical schools train graduates in core teaching knowledge, skills and attitudes in preparation for their future roles as clinical teachers.
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Electives have the potential to have a very positive impact on the professional development of medical students. Education about issues in global health is widely regarded as a neglected area in the undergraduate curricula of many medical schools. Linking learning outcomes for global health to the elective offers a possible solution that avoids adding additional teaching to crowded courses. ⋯ This commentary advocates caution as many potential learning outcomes are better addressed elsewhere and setting detailed outcomes erodes the essence of the elective - student choice.
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Concern has been expressed in recent times whether medical schools have adapted sufficiently to cater for the increasing demand of physician-scientists. Studies have shown that research involvement at the undergraduate level is vital to accommodate this growing need. Enhanced communication skills, improved problem-solving abilities and better future employment opportunities are among the other many benefits of undergraduate research (UR). Herein, we report projects run by a unique student driven undergraduate research committee (URC) at Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia aimed at providing the future generation of physicians training opportunities for pursuing a research intensive career. ⋯ Research involvement by medical students is an essential need of the twenty-first century and models like URC could provide crucial platform for research training to the new generation of physician-scientists.