Teaching Medical Students in the
Community Practice Setting:
Applying Teaching and Learning Styles
An orientation module developed by the
Office of Regional Medical Education
The University of Texas Medical Branch
School of Medicine
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) is accredited by the Accreditation
Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education to
physicians.
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston designates this educational activity for a
maximum of two (2) AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should only claim credit
commensurate with extent of their participation in the activity.
Estimated Study Time: 2 hours
Medium Used: CD and web-based access
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Original Release Date November 1, 2007
Expiration Date July 1, 2010
Teaching and Learning Styles
Goals
Identify teaching and learning styles and methods as
appropriate to medical student education.
Apply effective teaching methods in the community
practice setting.
Speaker
Ingrid Bowden, M.Ed., R.N. is the administrative
manager for the East Texas Area Health Education
Center (AHEC) at UTMB. She has over 12 years
experience in recruiting community preceptors and
coordinating the placement of medical students in
community rotations throughout East Texas AHEC’s
111-county region. Ms. Bowden serves on the UTMB
School of Medicine Ambulatory Community Selective
Committee, and manages all activities associated with
the Public Health ACS. She is also a member of the
UTMB School of Medicine’s Community Faculty
Development Coordinating Committee.
In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
(ACCME) standards and the policy of the University of Texas Medical Branch at
Galveston, presenters are asked to indicate if they have any relationship which, in the
context of their presentation, could be perceived as a real or apparent conflict of
interest, (for example, ownership of stock, honoraria, or consulting fees). Any such
relationship will be disclosed to the audience and consideration will be given to
possible influences of their presentations. Dr. Michael Ainsworth has no relevant
financial relationships with any commercial interest to the provider (UTMB).
Teaching and Learning Styles
Objectives
Identify student learning styles and describe how to
apply them in the community practice setting.
Identify teaching styles and methods appropriate for
teaching medical students in the community practice
setting.
Apply appropriate teaching methods for medical students
in the community practice setting.
Learning Styles
Student roles and behaviors
Types of learners
Learning components
Principles of adult learning
Roles and Behaviors
Compliant student
Anxious-dependent student
Independent student
Sniper student
Types of Learners
Visual learners
Auditory learners
Kinesthetic learners
Learning Styles
Inventory
Learning Components
Cognitive ~ what the student should learn
Affective ~ motivate the student to learn
Metacognitive ~ how to learn, identify and
correct areas of deficit
Principles of Adult Learning
Apply what is learned shortly after learning it.
Emphasize learning concepts and principles
over facts.
Students participate in setting own learning
objectives.
Students use feedback to evaluate their own
performance.
Teaching Methods in the
Community Practice Setting
Teacher-centered and learner-centered instruction
Communication
– Attentive silence
– Cooperative negotiation
– Persuasive confrontation
Levels of competency
Teacher-Centered and
Learner-Centered Instruction
Teacher-Centered ~ Topics are broken down into units of
instruction. Emphasis is on the accumulation of facts.
Learner-Centered ~ Students answer their own questions
and solve their own problems. Emphasis is on application
of knowledge and skills.
Communication Strategies
Attentive silence
Cooperative negotiation
Persuasive confrontation
Attentive Silence
Silence
Observation
Purposeful eye contact
Tracking
Open-ended encouragement & advocacy
Surface paraphrasing & exploration
Cooperative Negotiation
Self-disclosure
Active listening
Intense paraphrasing
Open-ended questioning
Feedback
Persuasive Confrontation
Summarizing & interpreting
Information giving & prescribing
Critiquing, correcting, & closed questioning
Persuasion, challenge & confrontation.
Communication Strategies
Competency Levels
1. Unconsciously Incompetent
2. Consciously Incompetent
3. Consciously Competent
4. Unconsciously Competent
Introductory Phase
“See one.”
Practice Phase
“Do one.”
Perfecting Phase
“Do one more.”
Introductory Phase
5 Steps
State objective of skill
Explain rationale
Describe equipment, materials,
and skills needed
Explain sequential steps
Demonstrate entire skill
Practice Phase
Give specific instructions
Close observation
Generous feedback
Allow independent practice time
“Certify” student on the skill
Perfecting Phase
Provide precision practice
Give feedback infrequently
Competency Levels
Learning Vector Diagram
Independence
assisting
monitoring
TEACHER’S
STRATEGIES
supervising
demonstrating
Dependence
observation
Low
practice
Performance
on a leash
LEARNER’S COMPETENCE
Performance
with a parachute
High
Applying Teaching Methods
Teaching action plan to monitor and facilitate
progress
Learning objectives for students in the
community practice setting
Pearls for effective teaching
Action Plan
Pre clinic assignments
Assign specific patients
Formal and informal feedback
Plan for achieving course
objectives.
Learning Objectives
Evaluate patients and follow up as diagnostic and
therapeutic maneuvers unfold.
Develop an ongoing patient relationships.
Understand the natural course of illness.
Participate in management decisions.
Pearls for Effective Teaching
Plan schedule in advance
Assign focused tasks
Provide feedback
Provide alternate learning activities
Introduce the student to your medical colleagues
Summary
The ability to select and apply appropriate
teaching techniques relevant to an individual
student’s learning style and level of competency
will maximize the effects of your teaching efforts.
Student Evaluation
of Course
Student Evaluation
of Preceptor
References
Baldwin CD & Niebuhr VN. Teaching Skills for Preceptors in the Community Setting: A Self-Directed
Continuing Education Package. Developed for the Robert Wood Johnson Generalist Physician
Initiative at the University of Texas Branch. 1996, re-edited in 2004.
Cassidy S. (2004). Learning Styles: An overview of theories, models, and measures. Educational
Psychology. 24 (4), 419-444.
Davis MH & Harden RM. (1999). AMEE Medical Education Guide No. 15: Problem-based learning: a
practical guide. Medical Teacher 21 (2), 130-140.
Gordon J et all. (2000). Strategic planning in medical education: enhancing the learning environment for
students in clinical settings. Medical Education. 34 (10), 841-850.
Hein T & Budny D. Teaching to Students’ Learning Styles: Approaches That Work. 29th ASEE/IEEE
Frontiers in Education Conference. 12c1-7.
Middlesex Community College. Modality Preference Inventory. Middletown, CT. Website:
https://olt.qut.edu.au/it/ITB116/gen/static/VAK/VAK_Inventory.htm.
O’Sullivan M, Martin J, & Murray E. (2000). Students’ perceptions of the relative advantages and
disadvantages of community-based and hospital-based teaching: a qualitative study. Medical
Education. 34 (8), 648-659.
Whitman N & Schwenk T. The Physician as Teacher. Salt Lake City, Utah: Whitman Associates, 1997.
Teaching Medical Students in the
Community Practice Setting:
Applying Teaching and Learning Styles
A teaching skills module developed by the
Office of Regional Medical Education
The University of Texas Medical Branch Please print the links below to
share evaluation feedback and
School of Medicine Galveston, TX
request CME credit. 
Credits
Pam Hentschel, M.S.
Members of the UTMB
Community Faculty
Development Coordinating
Committee
Michael Ainsworth, MD
Associate Dean for Regional Medical Education
301 University Blvd
Galveston TX, 77555-0410
(409) 772-6928 mainswor@utmb.edu
www.meded.utmb.edu/orme
Link to Presentation
Evaluation Form
Link to Post-Test and CME
Credit Request Form
End
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