Quality in Medical Education

Staying current with latest developments in the field of patient care is now universally considered to be a standard of care. The same standards have not been adopted in medical education, however, and many educational techniques used to train physicians are now outdated. This chapter reviews the evidence in medical education with respect to quality of three critical elements: the teacher, the process, and the learner. Students and faculty have different perceptions regarding the characteristics of effective teachers. Modern teaching methods no longer stress lecture-based sessions, but include techniques such as interactive learning and blended learning. Simulation is also an effective tool for learning technical skills, and for crisis and team training. When technological tools are used, they should be designed to enhance the learning experience. A number of studies show that learner engagement is the key factor in the learning process.