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From trainees to teachers
The ability to become a good educator as well as a good clinician is a hallmark of Penn State Health/Penn State College of Medicine’s graduate medical education programs.
In partnership with the Woodward Center for Excellence in Health Sciences Education and the Office for a Respectful Learning Environment, the Office of Graduate Medical Education makes available a number of training and recognition opportunities in the area of education.
Resident and Fellow Educator Training Programs
Program Overview
The Residents as Educators initiative consists of several programs designed to help residents and fellows grow as educators.About the Programs
Core sessions: Quarterly, virtual large-group sessions on basic clinical teaching skillsTeaching retreats: Quarterly, virtual/in-person small-group workshops to practice teaching skills
Medical Education for GME elective: Two-week immersion with didactics, peer teaching and simulation
Clinician-educator track: Longitudinal, flexible track with individualized curriculum, direct observation and mentorship
Hippocrates program: Monthly meetings with book club and guided discussions
Different programs for different goals
Program timeline
Core sessions
The core sessions are quarterly, virtual large-group sessions on basic clinical teaching skills.These sessions are suitable for all clinicians.
Teaching Retreats
Teaching retreats are half-day programs for residents designed to build teaching skills and facilitate personal goals related to teaching.Each retreat covers adult learning theory and instructional techniques with the opportunity to apply these skills in real time and obtain feedback.
Medical Education for GME Elective
The Medical Education for GME elective is a two-week rotation for residents designed to enhance the teaching knowledge and skills of residents and to promote understanding of introductory concepts in medical education scholarship.By the end of the elective, residents should be able to:
- Describe and apply medical education teaching tools.
- Discuss the evidence for use of identified tools in medical education.
- Explore concepts in adult learning theory and apply those concepts to their teaching.
- Demonstrate effective bedside, small-group and large-group teaching.
- Develop a medical education teaching session (two weeks) or scholarship project (four weeks).
- Recognize the value of medical education scholarship in career advancement.
Clinician-Educator Track
The Clinical Educator Track is a longitudinal, flexible track with individualized curriculum, direct observation and mentorship.It is geared mainly toward those who intend to pursue a future as clinician-educators.
Hippocrates Program
The Hippocrates program is a longitudinal track that creates a community of practice for residents across specialties at Penn State Health who are interested in medical education.Monthly sessions in this program:
- Develop skills in teaching and curriculum design
- Encourage scholarship and collaboration on educational projects
- Prepare participants for careers in academic medical education
Applications are accepted annually before April 15 for residents in PGY-1 or above who can participate in the full two-year curriculum.
- Program Overview
- Core sessions
- Teaching Retreats
- Medical Education for GME Elective
- Clinician-Educator Track
- Hippocrates Program
About the Programs
Teaching retreats: Quarterly, virtual/in-person small-group workshops to practice teaching skills
Medical Education for GME elective: Two-week immersion with didactics, peer teaching and simulation
Clinician-educator track: Longitudinal, flexible track with individualized curriculum, direct observation and mentorship
Hippocrates program: Monthly meetings with book club and guided discussions
Different programs for different goals
Program timeline
These sessions are suitable for all clinicians.
Each retreat covers adult learning theory and instructional techniques with the opportunity to apply these skills in real time and obtain feedback.
By the end of the elective, residents should be able to:
- Describe and apply medical education teaching tools.
- Discuss the evidence for use of identified tools in medical education.
- Explore concepts in adult learning theory and apply those concepts to their teaching.
- Demonstrate effective bedside, small-group and large-group teaching.
- Develop a medical education teaching session (two weeks) or scholarship project (four weeks).
- Recognize the value of medical education scholarship in career advancement.
It is geared mainly toward those who intend to pursue a future as clinician-educators.
Monthly sessions in this program:
- Develop skills in teaching and curriculum design
- Encourage scholarship and collaboration on educational projects
- Prepare participants for careers in academic medical education
Applications are accepted annually before April 15 for residents in PGY-1 or above who can participate in the full two-year curriculum.
Exceptional Teachers: Residents and Fellows
Exceptional Moments in Teaching
Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center accept ongoing nominations for the Exceptional Moments in Teaching award.
The award, given monthly by the Office for a Respectful Learning Environment, accepts nominations from College of Medicine students who are invited to submit narratives about faculty members, residents, fellows, nurses or any other educators who challenge them and provide an exceptional learning experience. See more about the award here.
Each month, the Office for a Respectful Learning Environment honors one of the nominees. Read more about the latest honorees in these stories.
In addition, all trainees and their nominators’ comments are listed here in order of nomination date. Click the + next to each nominee to see nominator comments.
Resident Excellence in Teaching Award
Each year, medical students who are completing their clerkships show their appreciation for their GME colleagues by nominating them for the annual Resident Excellence in Teaching Awards. These awards acknowledge GME trainees’ outstanding work happening every day on the College of Medicine’s teaching services.Recipients of this award are listed here.
Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center accept ongoing nominations for the Exceptional Moments in Teaching award.
The award, given monthly by the Office for a Respectful Learning Environment, accepts nominations from College of Medicine students who are invited to submit narratives about faculty members, residents, fellows, nurses or any other educators who challenge them and provide an exceptional learning experience. See more about the award here.
Each month, the Office for a Respectful Learning Environment honors one of the nominees. Read more about the latest honorees in these stories.
In addition, all trainees and their nominators’ comments are listed here in order of nomination date. Click the + next to each nominee to see nominator comments.
Recipients of this award are listed here.
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