The ABCs of pedagogy for clinical teachers

Background Clinical teachers rarely receive formal instruction in the basic concepts and principles of education. It is usually assumed that expertise as a practitioner will translate into effectiveness as a teacher. Purpose To identify the important concepts and pedagogic principles, which, if known and understood by clinical practitioners, might enhance their teaching prowess and success. Method We developed a long list of potentially important concepts identified in the education literature. We then conducted a 3-round Delphi expert opinion-soliciting process to identify which of the concepts were of most importance to clinical teachers. Results Thirteen of the 14 panel members successfully completed the process and achieved 94% reliability in rating the potential importance of the concepts on the e-mailed ratings list. Conclusion We have identified a limited list of core pedagogic concepts, knowledge of which may enhance the success of clinical teachers.