Lessons in learning

Its creators wanted to bridge the gap between teaching skills development and self awareness development which tend to be viewed as separate learning schemes and combine them into a learner-centred approach that remains relatively rare in medical education. In such an approach, learners identify their own learning needs and objectives, plan their learning activities and assess their own results. The course designers explain that self awareness insight into how one’s own life experiences and emotional make-up affect interactions with others – is valuable for doctors and teachers in delivering effective patient care and meeting the needs of learners while community building – relationship formation – is key to establishing therapeutic relationships between physicians and patients.