Tips for IM Attendings – Chapter 11 – Question & rescue

Many authors condemn “pimping”, yet most learners appreciate questioning as a teaching technique. How can we reconcile these two concepts? Those who condemn pimping define pimping as questioning with embarrassment and humiliation. Since that term can carry a negative connotation, we need to use a new label. I ask questions constantly on rounds and in morning reports. As attending physicians, we should ask questions, but we should not put the learner in such a vulnerable position that they feel insulted and embarrassed. So these two techniques make questioning help the learners. First, question and rescue. Ask a question. If the learner clearly is lost, ask the next person the question. That is question and rescue. Do not leave the learner hanging and sweating. Then often the second and third learner will not know the answer. At that time you point out that we have a great teaching opportunity. We want you to know this, and so we will teach it. When you start with your team or your morning report, let everyone know that the purpose of questioning is to learn what they know and what you need to teach them. Asking questions allows us to be more efficient in our teaching. If the learners already know and understand a point or concept, then we should not spend their precious teach restating that knowledge. Rather we should find the holes in their knowledge and help fill them. So ask questions, explain to your learners why you are asking those questions, and make certain that y...
Source: DB's Medical Rants - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Tags: Medical Rants Source Type: blogs