Student-teacher education programme (STEP) by step: Transforming medical students into competent, confident teachers

Background: While most medical schools have students teach other students, few offer formal education in teaching skills, and fewer provide teaching theory together with experiential teaching practice. Furthermore, curriculum evaluation of teaching education is lacking. Aim: This study aimed to examine effects of a novel didactic teaching curriculum for students embedded in a practical teaching experience. Methods: A longitudinal 12-week curriculum with complementary didactic and practical components for final-year students learning how to teach was developed, implemented and evaluated using a multi-level evaluation based on the Kirkpatrick approach with qualitative and quantitative methods. Results: Thirteen student-teachers acquired measureable knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for teaching excellence. Confidence in teaching increased (p<0.001), particularly in four key areas: oral feedback, written feedback, mentoring, and the difficult learner. Student-teachers demonstrated teaching competence as determined by self-assessment, student feedback, and faculty observation. Top teachers impacted their first-year students' performance in patient interviewing as measured by Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Conclusions: Reinforcing educational theory with practical teaching experience under direct faculty supervision promotes teaching competency for graduating medical students. The intertwined didactic plus practical model can be applied to various teaching contexts to fulfil the mandate that medical schools train graduates in core teaching knowledge, skills and attitudes in preparation for their future roles as clinical teachers.