Over the past four years of my medical degree I have experienced the whole gamut of lecture theatre emotions. The contented sigh-‘oh it all makes sense now’ now moments as a difficult concept was clearly explained by an accomplished lecturer.
The tutors whose eyes remain permanently fixed on the back wall of the theatre and spout a stream of obscure medical science to me and my fellow dozing students. However it wasn’t until I started to teach students myself as a clinical skills tutor that I realised how challenging and essential the skill of lecturing is in the advancement of knowledge. As a medical student I often feel overwhelmed by the information that I am expected to cram into my cranium. In moments of deep despair I have often questioned whether there really are enough neurones in any brain to memorise and apply this knowledge. So if learning medicine involves learning and employing a significant amount of information a good lecturer in medicine should primarily endeavour to condense the necessary knowledge into memorable chunks. In the lecture theatre this should always be their priority. Once the lecturer has ensured that he or she has emphasised and reiterated the essential facts there are numerous other qualities and skills that will ensure the attention of their eager learners. In the remainder of this essay I will consider a number of the attributes that make a good lecturer. One would assume that any individual who lectures students is enthusiastic about their subject and dedicated to communicating that fascination to some fresh new faces. I believe that a keen interest and enthusiasm in the subject should be a pre-requisite for any lecturing post. How can a tutor expect to encourage his or her students to learn if they themselves appear bored by their subject material? However all individuals who possess a keen interest in their subject will not necessarily convey this passion to their students.
