EA-3212 Residents as Teachers

1.0      Purpose

To ensure residents, fellows, and other non-faculty instructors who teach, supervise, and/or assess VTCSOM medical students are (a) familiar with the learning objectives of the relevant course/clerkship and (b) prepared for their roles in teaching and assessment, with centralized monitoring of participation and resources provided to build teaching/assessment skills, consistent with LCME 9.1.

2.0      Policy

VTCSOM requires residents, fellows, and other non-faculty instructors who teach, supervise, or assess medical students to receive appropriate preparation, orientation, and access to teaching and assessment resources before participating in medical student education. This policy applies to:

• All residents and fellows who supervise, teach, or complete assessments of VTCSOM medical students in required courses, clerkships, or elective experiences.
• Other non-faculty instructors, including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and other individuals who teach, supervise, or assess VTCSOM medical students under the school’s authority, in pre-clerkship, clinical, elective, or affiliated educational experiences. All clinical and educational sites where medical students rotate under the school’s authority/affiliation agreement

3.0      Procedures

Required preparation prior to teaching/assessment

All residents/fellows must complete Residents as Teachers training to prepare them for teaching and assessment of medical students and to ensure familiarity with course/clerkship learning objectives.  Residents and fellows are expected to model excellence in clinical instruction and contribute to a positive learning environment. Concerns related to mistreatment are addressed through established reporting and review processes (EA-3403). Formal allegations may be handled in accordance with Faculty Affairs policies.

Orientation

Before supervising/teaching or assessing students in a specific course/clerkship, residents/fellows must receive an orientation that includes (at minimum) teaching expectations, course- or rotation-specific learning objectives, student roles, professionalism and learning environment policies/procedures, supervision requirements, provision of feedback, and student assessment policies/procedures. Other non-faculty instructors who teach, supervise, or assess medical students must receive relevant course/clerkship learning objectives, assessment expectations, and role-specific orientation before participating in medical student education.

Required Residents as Teacher Training Components

• Online module about VTC student assessment at orientation
  Completion tracked by GME Office via MedHub
• One-hour Residents as Teachers session at orientation
  Completion tracked by GME Office via attendance log
• The One Minute Preceptor GMECC podcast
  Completion tracked by GME Office via MedHub
• Annual completion of the Learning Environment Workday module
  Completion tracked via Workday
• Annual review and attestation of review of teaching materials
  Tracked via VTCSOM Office of Educational Affairs via Qualtrics:
  • Clerkship Goals and Objectives
  • Required Conditions and Procedures
  • VTCSOM Education Program Objectives
  • Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act
  • Learning Environment and Allegations of Student Mistreatment
  • Virginia Tech Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Assault
  • Virginia Tech Policy on Sexual Harassment
  • Assessment of Student by Attending/Resident or Other
  • Student Work Hours
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Mission Statement
  • Supervision of Medical Students on Clinical Rotations
• Annual/semi-annual teaching -related Grand Rounds topics facilitated through each department.
  Completion tracked by each department via attendance log

Monitoring Responsibility

The Office of Educational Affairs, in collaboration with the GME Office and clerkship/course leadership, is responsible for monitoring completion of required preparation and attestation activities. OEA ensures completion of all requirements for residents entered into the One45 management system.

Supervision Requirements

Residents and fellows must be supervised either directly or indirectly by faculty when teaching students. Fellows with faculty appointments may teach/supervise independently but should still coordinate assessment efforts with attending faculty members.

Assessment and Evaluation

Student Feedback

• Medical students will complete evaluations of residents and fellows at the end of each clerkship.
• Feedback will assess teaching effectiveness, professionalism, communication, and supportiveness.

Faculty Observation

• Faculty will periodically observe residents and fellows during teaching activities and provide formative feedback.
• Observations may include bedside teaching, small group facilitation, and case presentations.

Self-Assessment

• Residents and fellows are encouraged to reflect on their teaching experiences and identify areas for improvement.
• Optional self-assessment tools will be provided during teaching development workshops.

Recognition

Resident teaching effectiveness is monitored through student feedback, faculty observation, insights from course or clerkship directors, and review by program directors. Outstanding resident educators may be recognized through teaching awards or commendations.

Remediation

Residents or fellows with consistently low teaching evaluations may be referred for targeted remediation including coaching, observed teaching with feedback, and follow-up student evaluations.  Referrals should be made by departments to TEACH and/or other professional development resources if deficits in teaching are noted by comments or evaluation numbers on evaluation forms.

Noncompliance

Repeated noncompliance is referred to the Program Director and GME per institutional policy. If a resident/fellow has not completed required Residents as Teacher training, the resident/fellow may continue clinical duties but must not be assigned primary responsibility for formal student assessment until completion. Any interim participation in student teaching or supervision must occur under faculty or clerkship leadership oversight.

4.0      References

• VTCSOM Appropriate Treatment of Students EA-3403
• VTCSOM Formal Allegations of Student Mistreatment by Faculty FA-5006

5.0      Approval and Revisions

Approved by the Medical Curriculum Committee on June 18, 2026