Soliciting feedback: on becoming an effective clinical teacher.

The art of teaching is difficult to master. When teaching in small groups, as often happens in clinical medicine, there is an opportunity to find out what works by speaking directly with students. The information they provide can serve as an invaluable guide, permitting refinement of skill over time. There are, however, significant barriers to this process. The art lies in finding an approach that is comfortable for both parties. The authors refer to this activity as soliciting feedback. They offer guidelines for soliciting feedback as an aid to improving teaching efforts.