title: Top tips for a teaching fellowship.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dedicated medical education posts are an exciting opportunity for doctors to focus on their development as clinical teachers. Within the seven hospital trusts that host students from the University of Bristol there are now 19 clinical teaching fellowship (CTF) posts. On starting a dedicated medical education post, the opportunities available can seem overwhelming, and on reflection many of the local 2012-13 CTFs would have changed their initial practice. The purpose of this article was to explore and collate the experiences of CTFs to produce a selection of practical 'top tips'.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was sent to all 19 CTFs via e-mail, asking them to state what they would do the same and what they would do differently if they had their time again. Dedicated medical education posts are an exciting opportunity for doctors to focus on their development as clinical teachers
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight themes were drawn from the 13 (68%) returned questionnaires, with each theme mentioned between four and 11 times. The themes included: keeping a portfolio of evidence; personal development; undertaking educational research; developing as a clinical teacher; and administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our aim for this article was to generate practical top tips for those doctors considering, about to start or having just commenced a dedicated teaching role, helping individuals to get the most from their time. It also explains what these teaching fellowships can involve, and gives those thinking of undertaking a dedicated teaching role a better idea of what to expect.
authors.affiliation: University of Bristol at the Bath Academy Department, Department of Medical Education, Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crees
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Slade
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jakeman
mesh_terms: D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching; D006113:United Kingdom