title: Professional development is enhanced by serving as a mini-CEX preceptor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX) is widely used for the evaluation of medical trainees' clinical competence. To our knowledge, no study has examined the effect of mini-CEX on the preceptors. Based on the principle of "to teach is to learn twice," we hypothesized that the act of precepting a mini-CEX would enhance preceptors' own learning and performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 21-item questionnaire incorporating the 3 out of 4 levels of Kirkpatrick's model was completed by experienced mini-CEX preceptors. Data collected from the questionnaire included ratings of Kirkpatrick's level of "Reaction" (level 1) and "Behavior" (level 3) and the frequencies of relearning the clinical skills related to mini-CEX, which assessed Kirkpatrick's "Learning" (level 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A majority of the respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that precepting the mini-CEX both increased reflection on their own clinical practice and had a positive impact on their clinical skills. More than 80% of preceptors reported relearning one or more of the mini-CEX clinical skills. Experienced preceptors relearned the clinical skills more frequently than the less experienced preceptors. About one-third of respondents indicated that being a preceptor of mini-CEX increased both self-confidence and health care quality in their own clinical practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings provide preliminary evidence suggesting that participating as a preceptor in a mini-CEX has a positive impact on the preceptor's professional development. Further studies are needed, including analyzing mechanisms of mini-CEX on the clinical skills of preceptor, and assessing whether similar effects can be observed in other teaching hospitals in different cultural contexts.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, China Medical University, and Department of Pediatrics, China Medical University Beigang Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan. chenwalt@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ming-May
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Tsai-Chung
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Cho-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Cheng-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006281:Health Occupations / Q000145:classification / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013192:Staff Development / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires