Junior Doctors Take the Lead: Building Teaching Skills Early

A group of junior doctors stepped up during the mandatory internship in 2018 to address a shortage of clinical supervisors at a Western Swedish hospital. The initiative was a voluntary program that offered hands‑on teaching experience and early faculty development.

Two‑Fold Purpose

• Teaching Experience – Doctors practiced classroom techniques, assessment methods, and created supportive learning environments.
• Future Educator Development – Participants cultivated a professional identity that extended beyond clinical duties.

Key Findings

• Confidence Boost – Many doctors reported increased confidence after applying new teaching strategies.
• Professional Identity – They saw themselves as educators, not just clinicians.
• Patient Care & Education Synergy – The program helped doctors better understand student perspectives, benefiting both patient care and medical education.

Challenges

• Balancing clinical duties with teaching responsibilities.
• Receiving constructive feedback on performance.

Despite these hurdles, most participants felt the program was worthwhile and believed it could serve as a model for medical schools facing teacher shortages.