Teaching skills of physicians go under the microscope

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Teaching skills of physicians go under the microscope
(Kingston, ON, April 25, 2014) Gastrointestinal (GI) specialists and surgeons at Hotel Dieu Hospital are heading
back to school today in an intensive “train the trainer” session that will push them to think hard about how they
are educating the next generation of GI doctors.
All teachers of gastroenterology and medical residents, the physicians will take turns guiding GI residents
through an actual colonoscopy procedure while course facilitators watch via live video feed in a nearby room.
The facilitators then critique the specialist’s teaching style, a process that will assist the entire group in reflecting
critically on how they teach students.
The session is geared to taking the doctors out of their comfort zone, says Dr. Lawrence Hookey, director of the
residency training program in the GI Division at Queen’s University.
“As teachers, we’re committed to training doctors that perform procedures more efficiently and effectively,
which translates into a better patient experience,” he says.
“As teachers, then, we have to be active learners ourselves. We have to find out what we’re doing that works
and what needs to be improved. Everyone participates with an open mind.”
The session will target the colonoscopy procedure, a vital diagnostic tool in the battle against colon cancer that
involves viewing the twists and turns of the bowel with a thin, lighted tube. Although a common procedure,
colonoscopy requires rapid assessment and action when the doctor comes across any trouble spots.
“A colonoscopy really demands a problem-solving approach because each patient is so different,” says Hookey.
“It’s a good training exercise because it calls on the teacher to discover ways to help the student learn how to
anticipate and problem-solve.”
Two years ago, the hospital’s GI specialists were the first in Canada’s academic health sciences centres to be
formally trained as educators in a similar train-the-trainer event.
Today, thanks to a generous community donation, they will be participating for the first time in a procedure
room that is fully and permanently equipped with the medical and audio-visual equipment necessary to conduct
train-the-trainer sessions.
“Now we can run these events on a regular basis,” says Hookey, “which will help to expand the practice skills of
our faculty and residents and also permit us to offer training courses to physicians already in practice who are
seeking continuing medical education.
“All of this adds up to enhancing the colon cancer screening process for patients.
“We know that screening saves lives, so we want to make it safe and comfortable for patients. This
training is about refining the skills of physicians performing colonoscopy so patients have the best
screening experience possible.”
Hotel Dieu Hospital is the ambulatory care teaching and research hospital for Kingston and Southeastern Ontario, affiliated
with Queen’s University. We provide expert care to more than 500,000 people in the region through specialized programs
including pediatrics, medicine, ophthalmology, cardiology, urology, surgery, mental health, oncology and urgent care. We
deliver quality, safe health care, while advancing innovative research and educating the health care professionals of the
future. Leading the transformation of ambulatory care
L'Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu est l'établissement de soins ambulatoires universitaire pour Kingston et le Sud-Est de l'Ontario affilié à
l’Université Queen's. Il fournit des soins spécialisés à plus de 500 000 personnes de la région. Parmi ses services spécialisés,
mentionnons les services de pédiatrie, de médecine, d’ophtalmologie, de cardiologie, d’urologie, de chirurgies, de santé
mentale, d’oncologie et de soins d'urgence. L'hôpital fournit des services de soins de santé sûrs et de qualité tout en menant
des recherches novatrices et en formant les professionnels de la santé de demain. Chef de file pour la transformation des
soins ambulatoires
-30Media contact:
Anne Rutherford, Public Relations, 613-544-3400, ext. 3380, [email protected]