Marriage and parenthood are probably the most ubiquitous illustrations, and there is little reason to expect that these states will ever evolve rationally. The task of medical teaching, on the other hand, is accepted deliberately and dispassionately, yet the preparation for that influential role is equally frail.
Teaching is both a science and an art.
Employment in the field requires the appropriate degrees and certifications that come naturally from successful completion of an extensive course of study at a certified undergraduate institution. Very few of the highly skilled physicians and academicians who receive appointments to clinical faculties hold any formal training in the field of education. Yet, they are called upon to provide for the educational synthesis of our sutdents' academic training with practical, relevant clinical experience in the stressful setting of a fully operational, high volume outpatient clinic. The Division of Clinics has created an office as the center for the coordination of training for the Palmer Clinic Faculty. This office has developed and implemented a program of instruction specifically aimed at bridging the gap between the skilled clinician and the skilled clinical educator.