The geriatrics excellence in teaching series: an integrated educational skills curriculum for faculty and fellows development

Geriatricians need to acquire skills in teaching and curriculum development to educate physicians caring for the growing population of adults aged 65 and older. To meet this challenge, educators in the Duke University Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development introduced a monthly seminar series to promote the development of geriatrics faculty and fellows as clinician educators. Ten educational skills development seminars were incorporated into geriatrics grand rounds in the first year of the program. These sessions were implemented using a variety of active learning strategies to expose participants to innovative adult learning-centered approaches for enhancing learning and instruction in medical education. Participants assessed all sessions using a feedback form and were surveyed at the end of the series to measure their overall satisfaction with the program and ascertain its effect on their roles as educators. Participants rated individual sessions highly, and respondents to the survey at the end of the course agreed that the Geriatrics Excellence in Teaching Series provided them with resources for use in their teaching practices and attested to having already applied knowledge and skills learned in the series in their teaching practices. Key elements for the program's success included an upfront needs assessment to prioritize topics, interactive sessions promoting skill development through actual practice of various strategies, open discussions to identify challenges and solutions, and a convenient and customary time slot. This format can be replicated with other geriatrics programs, providing a needed opportunity for faculty and fellows to learn about education principles.