Expectations of Teachers

Expectations of All Teachers

• Ensure you are eligible to teach by applying for and completing the steps required to obtain a clinical faculty appointment with the FoMD

• Complete onboarding and related-faculty development prior to teaching

• Arrive on time and fully prepared to teach as scheduled

• Support and promote a health promoting learning environment for students, faculty, and staff

• Embrace a growth mindset and commit to ongoing improvement by reviewing your feedback and seeking support when required.

• Understand the learning objectives of respective learners that you teach / supervise

• Consider the impact of your teaching and medical practice on the career outcomes of medical learners, striving to be an ambassador for underserved and vulnerable populations

Clerkship Specific Teaching

Several MD Program policies identify specific responsibilities related to teaching medical students in their required clerkships, including the Faculty Appointments for Physicians Supervising Medical Students Policy and the  Clinical Supervision Policy.  In particular, these policies define the roles of primary preceptors and supporting preceptors.

Primary Preceptors are faculty-appointed physicians who directly supervise medical students’ clinical learning experiences and assessments. If applicable, the primary preceptor oversees any student engagement with other faculty or non-faculty supporting preceptor or other healthcare providers. Primary preceptors are required to have a faculty appointment (academic or clinical) with the FoMD prior to being assigned to a student. 

Supporting Preceptors interact with medical students and may be involved in teaching them, but are not primarily responsible for overseeing the student’s clinical experiences and assessments. Supporting preceptors should have a faculty appointment (academic or clinical) with the FoMD. 

Expectations of Primary Preceptors in Clerkship

The Clinical Supervision Policy outlines the responsibilities of the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry (FoMD) and the MD Program, as well as the responsibilities of medical students in clinical learning environments. The policy also lists the expectations of primary preceptors in required clinical learning experiences, which include:

1. Professionalism & Safety

• Model Excellence: Maintain high professional standards and comply with the CPSA Standards of Practice.

• Student Wellbeing: Maintain professional boundaries. Identify and report issues regarding harassment, intimidation, or student safety.

• Support Systems: Collaborate with the Office of Professionalism and the Office of Advocacy and Wellbeing when issues arise.
  
  

2. Clinical Supervision

• Constant Oversight: Ensure students are supervised at all times by a primary preceptor or a designated delegate (such as a resident).

• Availability: If not physically present, the primary preceptor must be immediately reachable by phone or pager and able to attend in person, if needed.

• Non-Physician Supervision: Ensure any activities supervised by other health professionals are within their scope of practice and that they have formally accepted this delegated responsibility.
  
  

3. Teaching & Orientation

• Set the Stage: Provide a thorough orientation at the start of each rotation. Clearly communicate roles, responsibilities, and contact arrangements.

• Know the Goals: Be familiar with the specific educational objectives and required patient encounters.

• Team Prep: Ensure all residents and non-faculty instructors are oriented to their teaching and supervision duties.
  
  

4. Patient Care & Safety

• Informed Consent: Ensure patients are aware the student is a medical student and not a graduated physician.

• Task Delegation: Assign tasks based on the student's level of training. Confirm they are capable of managing the complexity and number of patients assigned.

• Active Review: Verify all clinical findings, review management plans, and modify patient care plans as necessary.

• Intervention: Step in immediately if a student is unable to provide safe care due to fatigue, illness, or complexity of the case.
  
  

5. Assessment

• Timely Feedback: Complete midpoint evaluations and final assessments promptly, following MD Program guidelines. (Note: The following videos about EPAs might be helpful: EPA Tips for U of A UME Teachers  and EPA Tips for U of A UME Students.)