The Changing Roles of the Medical Teacher

Roles and duties of medical teachers have expanded beyond the classroom teaching and includes teaching small groups, assessment, providing instructional materials beyond the curriculum, problem-based learning, learner-centred teaching, clinical teaching, mentoring, curriculum designing, communicating professionally and ethically and the list goes on. Self-reflection and critique of roles are vital for promoting and aiming for uncompromising excellence in medical education. The roles and duties described in this article relates to the roles of an ideal teacher, however, most of the times in day-to-day practice every medical teacher performs these roles. Medical teacher has to be flexible, energetic, committed amidst a busy background of clinical care and has to use variety of teaching methods and styles, ultimately giving learners multiple ways to excel. Teacher should be ever ready to grab the opportunity of attending faculty-developing programme running in India to enhance their knowledge and skills.