title: Twelve tips for teaching in a provincially distributed medical education program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As distributed undergraduate and postgraduate medical education becomes more common, the challenges with the teaching and learning process also increase.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To collaboratively engage front line teachers in improving teaching in a distributed medical program.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recently conducted a contest on teaching tips in a provincially distributed medical education program and received entries from faculty and resident teachers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tips that are helpful for teaching around clinical cases at distributed teaching sites include: ask "what if" questions to maximize clinical teaching opportunities, try the 5-min short snapper, multitask to allow direct observation, create dedicated time for feedback, there are really no stupid questions, and work with heterogeneous group of learners. Tips that are helpful for multi-site classroom teaching include: promote teacher-learner connectivity, optimize the long distance working relationship, use the reality television show model to maximize retention and captivate learners, include less teaching content if possible, tell learners what you are teaching and make it relevant and turn on the technology tap to fill the knowledge gap.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the above-mentioned tips offered by front line teachers can be helpful in distributed medical education.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. rymwong@interchange.ubc.ca
authors.forename: Roger Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Gurbir
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dhadwal
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fok
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harder
authors.forename: Hanh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lunge
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mckinney
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ovalle
authors.forename: Pooja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rauniyar
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Villanyi
mesh_terms: D020375:Education, Distance / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D018961:Educational Technology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends