FAQ

Why is this important?
Clinical teaching resources can be very helpful when dealing with learners.  You can share key sources of information such as CPG’s but also online updates such as InfoPOEMS through the CMA/Joule.  These resources can be used across different specialties.  Some are provincial such as the SK Spinal Pathway.  Some may be national such as the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care  CTFPHC recommendations.  It is helpful to have consistent, up to date point of care tools and this section of our website is intended to provide some guidance on clinical topics that may be shared or are useful to a variety of physicians who teach.

Do I need a mentor for my clinical teaching?
Having a mentor for clinical practice, teaching or both can be very helpful.  Mentors can be within your own discipline but can also be outside your department or even in another province and often have a particular body of experience that is relevant to what you are looking for.  The choice depends on who you are comfortable with and often on what you are specifically looking for in a mentor.  Do you want guidance? Are you seeking support for a specific issue in your professional work?   Mentors normally do not have any evaluative role on your performance but can be a powerful source of guided self-reflection.  They can help you see opportunities and open doors you might not otherwise consider.  Mentoring relationships with senior or more experienced clinician educators can be very helpful.  If you have someone in mind, it is okay to ask them if they will mentor you.  If you are not sure about a mentor, you can talk to your department head or a trusted colleague. There is significant literature on mentoring that you may also find helpful.

How can I get help developing scholarship around my clinical interests?
This is where a mentor might help.  Many clinicians start out with QI projects and there are a number of resources through the health region and HQC in SK that can be helpful for developing QI knowledge and skills.  You can also contact the research facilitator for your department or the clinical research support unit.  creo which is described under the FD website Research tab can also be a place to start for honing some research skills.  It includes sessions on creating research questions and methodology as well as ethics process etc.   

I want to learn more about clinical resources for my discipline that will be useful for teaching? 
You can check with colleagues, the library including the SHA librarian.  You can also see what is on the website for your clinical specialty or through the teaching organizations that might be specific to your specialty. 

How can I build on and improve my clinical teaching?
Attending local, provincial and national conferences and faculty development sessions can be a great way to do this.  You can also ask for peer observation and feedback through PROMPT – MED (check this out on our website).   There are programs like ASSET which builds simulation and debriefing skills.  There are also many resources available on clinical coaching and competency coaching through the CFPC and the RCPSC.  Learn about Rx OCR and R2C2 as examples.

Check out the Clinician Educator Diploma program at the University of Saskatchewan.

You are welcome to contact the FD office for more information on how to improve your clinical teaching and for the many programs we offer – medicinefaculty.development@usask.ca