Looking for the Perfect Mentor

Abstract

Introduction: The authors established the profile of the Internal Medicine clinical teachers in Portugal aiming to define a future interventional strategy plan as adequate as possible to the target group and to the problems identified by the residents.
Material and Methods: Observational, transversal, analytic study. An online anonymous questionnaire was defined, evaluating the demographic characteristics of the clinical teachers, their path in Internal Medicine and their involvement in the residents learning process.
Results: We collected 213 valid questionnaires, making for an estimated response rate of 28.4%. Median global satisfaction with the clinical teacher was 4.52 (± 1.33 points) and the classification of the relationship between resident and clinical teacher was 4.86 ± 1.04 points. The perfect clinical teacher is defined by high standards of dedication and responsibility (4.9 ± 1.37 points), practical (4.8 ± 1.12 points) and theoretical skills (4.8 ± 1.07 points). The multiple linear regression model allowed to determine predictors of the resident’s satisfaction with their clinical teacher, justifying 82,5% of the variation of satisfaction with the clinical teacher (R2 = 0.83; R2 a = 0.82).
Discussion: Postgraduate medical education consists of an interaction between several areas of knowledge and intervening variables in the learning process having the clinical teacher in the central role. Overall, the pedagogical abilities were the most valued by the Internal Medicine residents regarding their clinical teacher, as determinants of a quality residentship.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates the critical relevance of the clinical teacher in the satisfaction of residents with their residentship. The established multiple linear regression model highlights the impact of the clinical and pedagogical relantionship with the clinical teacher in a relevant increase in the satisfaction with the latter.