Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers
Call for Proposals: AIAMC 2015 Annual Meeting Breakout Sessions
Deadline: October 15, 2014 via Email kimberly@aiamc.org
AIAMC Member Institution: Aurora Health Care
Presenter #1 (and the AIAMC’s primary point of contact)
Name: Deborah Simpson, PhD
Title: Professor & Director Medical Education Programs
Phone: 414.219.7340
Email: deb.simpson@aurora.org
Presenter #2:
Name: Andy Anderson, MD
Title: Sr. Vice President Academic Affairs
Phone: 414.219.7887
Email: andy.anderson@aurora.org
Suggested Title of Session: Analyzing the Joys & Challenges of Clinical Teaching Using Intrinsic Motivators
Session Content should support the meeting theme and/or one of our AIAMC Specialty Forums as follows (check all that
apply):
 Aligning with the C-Suite (GME and
Research as drivers of QI/PS)
 Providing Continuum-Based
Curricula (UGME-GME-CME)
o Embracing Technology (social
media, communication, data)

o

o
o
Continuing Medical Education
Executive Management (C-Suite)
Graduate Medical Education
Quality
Research
Target Audience:
Medical education leaders, residency/program directors, clinical teachers, residents and educators.
Does this session represent a work in progress or one with measurable outcomes to share?
The measurable outcomes from this break out session are in the ability of attendees to systematically analyze and
realign clinical teacher roles and expectations (as individuals, programs, systems) to support teachers internal
motivation(s) to teach.
Session Plan (Describe format and learning activities; please limit to no more than 297/300 words):
 Introduction: Statement of the Problem (e.g., What’s more likely? Winning “PowerBall” or being reimbursed for
clinical teaching? Yet we must continue to recruit and sustain our clinical teachers to meet physician workforce
needs).
 Factors Associated with Why Physicians Teacher: Audience brainstorm re: why they teach, why they (or colleagues
don’t) followed by brief review of literature on topic. These findings will be then be “reframed” using the three
intrinsic motivations associated with Self-Determination Theory – competency, autonomy, relatedness - to serve as
a new lens for analyzing clinical teacher roles and expectations. Illustrative examples will be provided aligned with
CLER and use of technology to highlight each intrinsic of the three intrinsic motivators: (1) Expectations that faculty


teach quality/safety when they themselves lack knowledge [competence]; (2) Expectation to utilize educational
technologies (e.g., online learning, twitter journal club) explicitly linked to milestones [Competence and Autonomy
= lack of control over what/how teach]; (3) System pressure to provide high quality and high volume clinical care
while teaching impacts RVU’s [Relatedness, organization devalues teaching role].
Analysis of Teaching Roles/Responsibilities using Intrinsic Motivators: In small groups, participants will
systemically 1-2 case scenarios (e.g., highly rated teacher who has just declined to accept more medical students
due to economic pressures; residency faculty who is consistently “late” or doesn’t submit resident milestone ratings
and has declined to serve on the residency’s clinical competency committee). Analysis will identify the
“motivators/de-motivators” by each of the three needs (competence, autonomy, relatedness) and then identify
strategies to address gaps. Small group then can apply to their own scenarios.
Summary/Closing: Debrief small groups’ identifying key motivators and de-motivators along with strategies to
maximize motivators’ specific to competence, autonomy, and relatedness at individual and organizational
perspective. References and resources will be provided highlighting recent work applying Self-Determination Theory
to trainees.
Session Description (As you would like it to appear in the course materials; please limit to one paragraph):
Teaching can be extraordinarily rewarding yet sometimes it can be crushingly painful. On top of these highs and
lows, clinical teachers are being pulled in multiple directions by the ever changing clinical and educational contexts in
which they teach: from new ACGME milestones and Clinical Learning Environment requirements to escalating
expectations for clinical revenue production and technology utilization (clinicians and teachers). Financial remuneration
for teaching is challenging with available dollars incongruent with lost RVU’s. Therefore understanding what motivates
(and demotivates) us as teachers can help us chart a path through this maze to sustain our joys and minimize the
disincentives in teaching. This session will apply precepts from Self Determination Theory to identify clinical teachers’
intrinsic motivations and to realign teaching roles/responsibilities to minimize de-motivators.