Developing Teaching Skills during the Pharmacy Practice Residency Program: Perspectives on the Development
Perspectives on the Development of Teaching Skills
The benefits and challenges of using peer teaching strategies have been extensively documented in the medical and nursing literature. Broscious and others7 described a program in which senior students on a clinical unit acted as peer coaches to junior students. Evaluations by both groups indicated that the program reduced the anxiety of the junior students, improved their confidence, and enabled them to identify their learning needs, while senior students enhanced their leadership and patient management skills. In a study of physiotherapy students randomly assigned to provide clinical services alone or with a peer, clinical competency was enhanced in the peer coaching environment.
Ultimately, the case for addressing teaching and precepting skills during the residency program should be evaluated from various perspectives. From the perspective of the resident, the advantages of developing teaching and precepting skills during the residency program may include an enhanced learning experience, increased confidence, and better job readiness. From the perspective of the undergraduate student, the advantages may include a less intimidating and anxiety- provoking learning environment and a “teacher” (the resident) who can relate well to their needs. From the perspective of practising hospital pharmacists who regularly precept residents and students, the development of residents’ skills in these areas may reduce the pressure for the pharmacists to do all the teaching and may free up time for other duties. It may also result in residency program graduates who are more confident and capable of precepting once they enter practice.
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The potential disadvantages should also be reviewed. From the perspective of the resident, unless the teaching and precepting activities are developed in a way that does not interfere with the resident’s exposure to patient care activities, the development of these skills could be viewed as reducing opportunities to learn clinical skills. In addition, some residents may view such activities as unnecessary and may feel that these skills will be developed sooner or later in the practice setting. From the perspective of the student, a potential drawback is that students may view residents (i.e., their “preceptors”) as less knowledgeable or capable than practising pharmacists, an issue that could lead to problems in the teacher-student relationship. Finally, from the perspective of practising pharmacists, there may be a reluctance to let residents deal directly with students. A feeling of guilt for “not doing the job” or fear that the resident will teach the student “the wrong thing” may also hinder the process.
