Residents-as-teachers: a survey of Canadian specialty programs

Introduction: The ability to teach is a critical component of residency and future practice. This is recognized by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, which incorporates teaching functions into the CanMEDS competencies. The aim of our study was to identify how emergency medicine specialty programs across Canada prepare their residents for roles as teachers and to compare these results to those of other Royal College specialty programs. Methods: A 40-item English questionnaire was developed and translated into French. It was e-mailed to the program directors of all Royal College Emergency Medicine (EM), Anesthesia, Diagnostic Radiology, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry residency programs. The survey asked what modalities were in use to teach residents how to teach and allowed respondents to comment on recent changes. Results: Twelve of 13 (92%) EM programs and 78 of 113 (69%) other specialty programs responded. All responding programs incorporated some kind of mandatory teaching responsibilities. Four of 12 (33%) EM programs reserved formal teaching functions for postgraduate year 3 and above, whereas only 7 of 78 (9%) other specialty programs did so. The remaining 71 of 78 (91%) non-EM specialty programs incorporated formal teaching functions in all years of residency. Six of 12 (50%) EM programs offered rotations in clinical medical education compared to only 11 of 78 (14%) other specialty programs. Conclusions: Canadian EM programs appear to differ from other specialty programs in the way that they develop residents-as-teachers. Half of EM programs offer rotations in clinical medical education, and many introduce formal teaching functions later in residency.