Until now, I’d never been, “meta” about this valuable teaching tool and thought I’d share what I learned from reflecting in a #tweetorial
Come explore with me #medtwitter! 0/14
Where have you encountered chalk talks most frequently?
-Keep them short: limit yourself to <10 mins. On rounds? <2 minutes
-Tools: a sheet of paper or a dry erase marker in your pocket
-Bite-sized: even 1 or 2 pearls works! More later (s/o #BSTMode)
-Patient-focused: more engaging
💥Environment
💥Objectives
💥Engagement
-Aim for a clean and quiet space (e.g. work room; on rounds, find a spot away from the nurse’s station to minimize distractions)
-Minimize screens (computers, phones, tablets)
-Be flexible (time of day)
-“I don’t know”: make it known it’s OK to say these words; this helps foster a…
-Growth mindset: if your learners don’t know something, they don’t know it YET
A clean physical/mental space is like fertilizer for learning
Audience
-Know who you’re teaching and focus on them. Others still stands to learn.
-Can't find a topic? Ask your learners! In a safe learning environment, they’ll prob ask before you first
Topics
-Physiology (e.g. RAAS), Schemas (‘approach to _’), and Rx/Management work well
-Keep them FOCUSED. MS3 asks to learn CHF? Teach them how to approach medical therapy in acute exacerbation
Organization: Plan ahead
-Identify a topic on rounds (pt-focused). Take a few mins to form an outline/map while your learners are doing work
-Later in the day or the following day is OK if it means a tighter talk. Esp when ur new to this
-DO use questions to engage your learners’ understanding of how Na+ flowing through the nephron activates RAAS
-DON’T ask your learner, “can you explain RAAS?”
-Encourage discussion. Say “IDK” when u don’t
Anyone can print out a table or an article. Going the extra step to explain your version shows you put some thought into your talk and gets you buy-in
Jump in! You have a wealth of knowledge. “How to organize my day” is AMAZING early in the year. Not all chalk talks need to be medical.
Ask your learners/attending to help you find your groove
Chalk talks ideally:
💪optimize Environment, Objectives, and Engagement
❤️are focused, patient-centered
🌹reflect YOUR understanding
Welcome, new R2s! Can’t wait to learn from you.
Thanks for following along #medtwitter!
Inspiration and info sourced/adapted from work by #BSTMode @gradydoctor @JenniferSpicer4 @pkritek
Feedback welcome! Help me make this better!
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