The group allows students to support each other and also learn to evaluate both themselves, each other and the tutor in an objective and constructive manner. The student's role is to examine health care problems, identify learning issues, develop and fulfill personal learning goals and contribute to the development of the other tutorial members. The role of the tutor is to be a 'facilitator' for the group. The ideal tutor is able to encourage and guide the group without forcing or directing, to prove a role model of critical thinking and self-examination, and to assist the group members in the difficult task of evaluation. The tutor is also responsible to the Unit Chair to provide a written evaluation of each tutorial member.
Students are responsible for making a written evaluation of the tutor.
In addition to the acquisition of knowledge and conceptual understanding relevant to the health care problems, the tutor is an excellent arena for the exploration and understanding of how a medical group functions. The tutorial is an early exposure to the workings and functioning of the medical group. Not all tutorial groups go well. As we know, personalities may clash, and weaknesses may be exposed, particularly in a group which must continually work together and over a given period of time. Not all difficulties have an ideal solution, although they may have an explanation.