"Faculty are a foundational element of graduate medical education – faculty members teach residents how to care for patients. Faculty members provide an important bridge allowing residents to grow and become practice ready, ensuring that patients receive the highest quality of care. They are role models for future generations of physicians by demonstrating compassion, commitment to excellence in teaching and patient care, professionalism, and a dedication to lifelong learning. Faculty members experience the pride and joy of fostering the growth and development of future colleagues. The care they provide is enhanced by the opportunity to teach. By employing a scholarly approach to patient care, faculty members, through the graduate medical education system, improve the health of the individual and the population." (ACGME 2018)
"Passing medicine along from one generation to the next is the highest honor
and the highest responsibility anyone could have."
Dr.Thomas Nasca, president and CEO, ACGME
Faculty at MCHS join an esteemed group of clinicians going back to our system's founding over 100 years ago. Please see the
MCHS History section of this website for that perspective.
As faculty members, our duties are shaped by organizational input both internal and external. ACGME notes that "patients have the right to expect quality, cost-effective care with patient safety at its core. The foundation for meeting this expectation is formed during residency and fellowship. Faculty members model these goals and continually strive for improvement in care and cost, embracing a commitment to the patient and the community they serve." As a a result, according to the Commom Program Reqiuirements, faculty members must:
II.B.2.a) be role models of professionalism; (Core)
II.B.2.b) demonstrate commitment to the delivery of safe, quality, cost-effective, patient-centered care; (Core)
II.B.2.c) demonstrate a strong interest in the education of residents; (Core)
II.B.2.d) devote sufficient time to the educational program to fulfill their supervisory/teaching responsibilities; (Core)
II.B.2.e) administer and maintain an educational environment conducive to educating residents; (Core)
II.B.2.f) regularly participate in organized clinical discussions, rounds, journal clubs, and conferences; and, (Core)
The Division of Education identifies 11 roles and responsibilities for faculty in its supervision policy. This is a core document for faculty to review and use. the 11 roles and responsibilities are:
1. The supervising physician should not only be willing to teach but also enthusiastic about doing so, prepared, and available to his/her learners. 2. The supervising physician must possess a broad base of medical knowledge and, as necessary, knowledge of procedural skills. The supervisors should demonstrate a willingness to themselves learn and motivate team members to do the same; case preparation, reading, literature review, and attendance at standing conferences all qualify.
3. The supervising physician should make part of his/her day shared patient care management with the student or resident and dedicated teaching activities. Case-based learning is particularly effective in the ambulatory setting as a mechanism to highlight core material within that discipline.
4. The supervisor should promote and allow for progressive responsibility on the part of the learner.
5. The supervisor must orient the learners to the rotation and its curriculum, highlighting their roles and responsibilities as well as those of the supervisor. Early orientation is necessary to promote the identification of specific learner goals for the rotation.
6. The supervisor is expected to provide regular and timely feedback. Formal, face-to-face feedback should occur approximately midway through and at the conclusion of the rotation.
7. The supervisor is expected to facilitate learning and the discussion of specific case management details, the decision-making process itself, and the social, ethical, and cost effective aspects of total patient care. Decision-making based on sound available medical evidence should be modeled and encouraged.
8. The supervisor is expected to provide bedside teaching as a setting that naturally lends itself to instruction of communication and physical examination skills.
9. The supervisor is expected to incorporate all team members as part of the supervision and teaching experience. The supervisor should recognize and address the special needs that some learners may have and feel comfortable with drawing those issues to the attention of the learner and the program director.
10. The supervisor must be respectful to patients, team members, and other members of the larger healthcare team.
11. In addition to those items listed the student learner may have additional or unique needs as might include written H&P requirements, student conference or mentor rounds attendance. The supervising physician needs to be aware of and sensitive to those extracurricular mandates; it is strongly recommended that the supervisor review the student curriculum in advance of the rotation and specifically discuss those needs as part of the orientation process.
Mark Ridder, M.D. Division of Education Faculty Development Lead
ridder.mark@marshfieldclinic.org