A residency elective in medical education.

A three-month elective in medical education was undertaken by a first-year resident to obtain a background to prepare for a potential career in academic medicine and medical student teaching. This experience, jointly sponsored by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Office of Medical Studies of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, permitted the resident to investigate components of the clinical teaching-learning encounter, suggest means of improving clinical instruction, and develop a series of self-instructional materials. Stemming from this experience, a workshop on clinical teaching skills for faculty and house staff has been designed, and four self-instructional units on family planning have been added to the teaching program on the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Benefits to the resident of the elective are outlined, and guidelines for similar experiences are suggested.