title: Using spaced education to teach interns about teaching skills.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite limited preparation and knowledge base, surgical interns have important teaching responsibilities. Nevertheless, few faculty development programs are aimed at interns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Succinct teaching skill content was electronically distributed over time (spaced education) to interns in academic year 2010/2011. The interns in the previous year served as historic controls. Electronic surveys were distributed for program evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen of 24 (62.5%) interns and 35 of 49 (71.4%) students responded to the surveys in academic year 2009/2010 and 16 of 27 (59.3%) interns and 38 of 52 (73%) students responded in academic year 2010/2011. Surveys showed improved attitudes toward teaching by interns as well as a higher estimation of interns' teaching skills as rated by students for those interns who received the spaced education program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using spaced education to improve interns' teaching skills is a potentially powerful intervention that improves interns' enthusiasm for teaching and teaching effectiveness. The changes are mirrored in students' ratings of interns' teaching skills and interns' attitudes toward teaching.
authors: Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Luise I M
authors: LI
authors: Pernar
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Corso
authors: Stuart R
authors: SR
authors: Lipsitz
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Breen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends