Reverse Educational Distance: Exploring a novel concept to enhance Resident-As-Teacher curricula

Abstract

Purpose: The learning benefits associated with residents teaching peers and junior trainees are well documented. However, the concept of Reverse Educational Distance (RED), when residents teach an academically senior audience, is poorly described.

Methods: We explored Pediatric residents’ and community health care providers’ (cHCPs) perceptions of a RED teaching intervention, whereby residents would engage in teaching cHCPs. We explored the anticipated learning benefits, challenges, and ways to optimize its implementation in a residency program. We conducted a descriptive qualitative study with focus groups. We also compared RED with the traditional Resident-As-Teacher (RAT) approach from a theoretical framework perspective.

Results: Benefits anticipated by residents included: (1) optimizing their incentive to learn; (2) focusing on the practical ‘real-world application’ of knowledge; and (3) a better understanding of community practice. Benefits anticipated by cHCPs included: (1) being updated on evidence-based practices; and (2) improving collaboration between cHCPs and future pediatricians. The major anticipated challenge was the residents’ lack of clinical experience, for which key solutions were proposed.

Conclusions: Engaging residents in teaching cHCPs could lead to enhanced and unique learning benefits compared to the traditional RAT approach. RED is a promising strategy for RAT curricula aiming at best preparing trainees for their future role as educators.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the work of Carol Kamin and Leslie Sandlow for the supervision of the graduate studies work related to the content of this paper.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Glossary

Reverse Educational Distance: In the context of the teaching in health professions education, Reverse Educational Distance refers to situations in which a trainee engages in a teaching role for an academically senior audience.

The concept of Reverse Educational Distance is new in the literature. The definition provided is derived from Ten Cate and Durning (2007a, 2007b).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elisa Ruano Cea

Elisa Ruano Cea, MD, MHPE, is an Assistant Professor and Academic General Pediatrician at McGill University. She completed a Master degree in Health Professions Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is currently the Competency-Based Medical Education lead of the McGill Pediatrics Program.

Evelyn Constantin

Evelyn Constantin, MD, MSc(Epi), is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Clinician-Scientist and Epidemiologist at McGill University. She is the Assistant Dean of Postgraduate Medical Education at McGill University. She sits on the national Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) Committee and is the CBME Lead for McGill University.

Aliki Thomas

Aliki Thomas, PhD, OT (c) erg. is an Associate Professor at the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy and a Research Scientist at the Centre for Medical Education, McGill University. She completed a doctorate in educational psychology at McGill University and a post-doctorate in knowledge translation for evidence base practice at McMaster University.