Being and becoming a teacher in medical education

Medical teachers’ conceptions of teaching have implications for student learning. The way teachers understand what it means to be a good teacher and what it means to develop as a teacher affect their aims and practice as teachers and their motivation for engaging in development activities. The aim of this thesis was to clarify how medical teachers understand being lecturers, clinical supervisors and mentors and also how they understand teaching and development as a teacher. In this thesis, the term medical teacher is used for everyone teaching or supervising undergraduate students in medicine or allied health professions at a university campus or associated hospitals. Thirty-nine medical teachers were interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured and analysed using a phenomenographic approach.

The findings include qualitatively different ways of understanding: · Being a teacher in the teaching roles of being a lecturer, clinical supervisor and mentor (Study I and II); · Development as a teacher and of teaching (Study III); and · Teaching; particularly in relation to how opportunities and barriers for development are perceived (Study IV)

The findings of the studies are further elaborated in three ways: 1) By using a model of learning and teaching to explore the different understandings of what it means to be and become a teacher; 2) By exploring perceived differences and similarities between the three teaching roles as described by the individual respondents; and 3) By analysing the relationship between different ways of understanding the phenomena studied on an individual level.

The way being and becoming a teacher is understood is dynamic and changes over time. Teachers’ understanding of their role constitutes a fundamental dimension of their development as teachers and exerts a significant influence on their teaching. By exploring the effects of various contexts and perceptions of different facets of the teacher role, aspects important to supporting student learning can be addressed.

List of scientific papers

I. Stenfors-Hayes, T., Hult, H., Dahlgren, LO. (2011) What Does it Mean to be a Good Teacher and Clinical Supervisor in Medical Education? Advances in Health Care Sciences and Education. Vol 16 no 2 p.197-210.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-010-9255-2

II. Stenfors-Hayes, T., Hult, H., Dahlgren, LO. What Does it Mean to be a Mentor in Medical Education? Medical Teacher. [Accepted]
https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2011.586746

III. Stenfors-Hayes, T., Hult, H., Dahlgren, LO. (2011) Three Ways of Understanding Development as a Teacher. European Journal of Dental Education. Vol 15.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-010-9255-2

IV. Stenfors-Hayes, T., Weurlander, M., Dahlgren, LO., Hult, H. (2010) Medical Teachers’ Perceived Barriers and Opportunities for Educational Development. Teaching in Higher Education. Vol 15 no 4 p.399-408.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2010.493352