Rounds to Residency

Medical Education Philosophy with the Alliance of Clinical Education Bruce Morgenstern MD

Dr. Bruce Morgenstern leads a discussion on medical education and the importance of precepting for healthcare students.

Dr. Bruce Morgenstern is the Vice Dean of Academic and Clinical Affairs at Roseman University College of Medicine and President for the Alliance for Clinical Education (ACE). His medical history as a board-certified pediatric nephrologist led him on the path to becoming the Clerkship Director for Pediatrics at Mayo, working with The Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics (COMSEP), and he eventually became the President of ACE which collaborates with numerous medical education associations.

Preceptors: Dr. Morgenstern believes in medical education and the importance of precepting for healthcare students. Physicians should be encouraged to seek out faculty development training available to them if they wish to continue to progress in their mentorship roles. However, the most important aspect of any student-teacher relationship is setting clear expectations early on. He also confirms the importance of a basic education model, such as the one-minute preceptor model, in medical education. Though many preceptors may not be aware of the exact model, they often implement a similar structure into their educational environment.

Students: Dr. Morgenstern feels students should also express their level of education to preceptors early on. This helps to facilitate material being disseminated in a manner appropriate for each individual’s level of education. Students that lay out their hopes for the rotation or that discuss topics they would like to learn more about are more likely to receive specific training. Those that don’t may fall the wayside.

When asking for a Letter of Recommendation (LoR), it is best to ask a preceptor that knows the “unwritten code” of a strong letter. Many physicians have good intentions but do not always know what current residency directors are looking for. Also, do not ask “will you write me an” LoR, but instead specify that you are looking for a “strong” LoR. This can make all the difference in the preceptor’s interpretation of your desire for that field and the letter.

Chase DiMarco

Chase DiMarco is an MS, MBA-HA and MD/Ph.D-candidate. He is the founder of MedEd University, a free medical education resource, the host of the Medical Mnemonist & Rounds to Residency podcasts creator of several medical education platforms, and CEO of FindARotation clinical rotations service.

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