July 28th, 2010
The Joys of Teaching
Andrew M. Kates, MD
I enjoy my job as a fellowship director for many reasons. One of the best is the excitement I get to share each year on the new fellows’ first day: The enthusiasm that a fresh group of trainees brings into a program is magical. The regular infusion of new blood into training programs distinguishes academic medicine from clinical practice, the rhythms of which can remain unchanged day after day, year after year.
The transition from resident to fellow and from generalist to specialist can be daunting. Shane LaRue, a fellow in our program at Washington University in St. Louis, has generously taken a moment at the end of his first year to provide some great advice to those embarking on the journey.
The beginning of the new fellowship year also provides a great opportunity to expand our membership at CardioExchange. James and I encourage program directors to invite their fellows to join and participate in this great website. They can request an invitation at http://blogs.jwatch.org/cardioexchange/request-an-invitation/.
Your involvement and theirs is critical to our success!
Looking back on your years of teaching, what are some of your most memorable “teaching moments”?