The TEACH pathway in the University of Wisconsin internal medicine residency program fosters the careers of future clinician-educators, or those who otherwise wish to include medical education as an integral part of their professional lives.
The pathway provides the rigorous skill development needed for successful teaching and scholarship in medical education. These skills are transferable across the continuum of medical education and benefit anyone who wishes to work with medical students, postgraduate trainees, and/or practicing physicians.
Application
Internal medicine residents apply for acceptance into the TEACH Pathway during the spring of their PG-1 year. The application process includes a statement of intent to fully participate in TEACH and complete the requirements.
A certificate of Teaching Distinction is also available for any resident who wants to participate in certain components of the program without completing all of the requirements.
Those interested in participating in the full TEACH Pathway are each paired with a faculty mentor. The pair meets periodically throughout the PG-2 and the PG-3 year to review progress of individual learning goals, capstone projects, required curricula, and to discuss feedback of teaching sessions.
Curriculum Structure
Workshop (1/2 day)
- Teaching in the Clinical Environment – The Basics
Classes (1 hour each; choose 3)*
- Research Methods and Procedures in Medical Education
- Adult Learning Theory: how does it apply to medical education?
- Durable Learning
- Feedback and Assessment
- Teaching at the Bedside
- Active Learning Techniques
- Social Influence Theory
- Inclusive Teaching Practices
- Teleteaching
Assignments
- Teaching Philosophy
- Prepare two articles (or book chapters) for Education Journal Club (one for Teaching Distinction)*
- Review of education literature in one area of interest (can also be Advances topic)
- Observations of your teaching (three)
- Attend 6 journal club sessions (three for Teaching Distinction)*
Journal / Book Club
- Quarterly Review of Education Literature (must attend three-fourths)
Capstone Learning Project
Needs to be completed by end of training.
- Curriculum developed and evaluated
- Educational Research project completed
- Required for TEACH Pathway
In addition to the structured curricula outlined above, TEACHers can use research elective time to develop curricula and educational research projects.
They are also mentored in submitting their work to national education meetings; for example, the American Association of Medical Colleges, Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine, Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine, and Society for General Internal Medicine.
Strengths
- The Department of Medicine has a long history of involvement in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Our teaching faculty is large and directs 40 percent of the preclinical courses and over 30 percent of the postgraduate and continuing professional development programs offered by the School. These teachers are consistently recognized for excellence in teaching by national organizations as well as by medical students, residents, fellows, and peers.
- In 2020, the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education was tied for #1 among public schools of education by U.S. News & World Report. Having this elite school on the same campus enables us to receive face-to-face guidance from experts in many areas of education. The TEACH pathway director, Amy Zelenski, PhD, is also a graduate of the UW–Madison School of Education. Dr. Zelenski provides mentorship in teaching and educational scholarship to residents, fellows, and faculty. She is also engaged in research focusing on the innovative use of theater techniques to build the empathic communication skills of professionals.
- The Internal Medicine Residency was one of 17 Education Innovation Project sites sponsored by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Residency Review Committee in Internal Medicine. The program was chosen due to its long history of education innovation and leadership. We have continued this initiative and have engaged residents as agents of change to continually enhance our program.
