ARTE Student Module 3 - Reflection
Tips for Students - Promoting reflection in the clerkship experience
- Learners often find it difficult to maintain mindfulness when they are focused on facts, responsibilities, evaluation and mastering the details of medicine.
- Set aside some patient encounters – or parts of encounters – to relax and devote attention to being present in the moment.
- Practicing your patient-centered communication skills is an ideal focus for practicing mindfulness.
- Develop your confidence and skill in asking questions to engage your preceptors in discussion and reflection on challenging topics.
- Encourage your preceptor to talk about his or her feelings regarding patients and practice. What gives the family doctor the greatest professional satisfaction? What will give you satisfaction in your career?
- Reflect on your process of asking questions and seeking answers. What clinical situations provide the richest learning experiences? What approach to asking questions works best for you and your clerkship teachers?
- If you plan to pursue a career in family medicine, ask: What are you learning about yourself that will help you prepare?
- If you plan to pursue a career in another area of medicine, ask: What are you learning about community-based generalist practice that will help you become a better specialist?