Master Clinical Teacher Program

Vanderbilt’s Master Clinical Teacher Program is designed to enhance the clinical education of our students by supporting the teaching activities of our best clinician educators. The Master Clinical Teachers (MCT’s) were selected because of their strong interest in medical student education and their recognized teaching expertise.

Who are the Master Clinical Teachers?

There are thirteen Master Clinical Teachers, with at least one representing each of the core clinical rotations of the third and fourth year. By providing protected time, this program allows the MCT’s to devote more effort to teaching medical students during clinical rotations - at the bedside, in the clinics and in the small group setting. In addition, each Master Clinical Teacher is assigned a cohort of medical students to follow throughout the third year.

During quarterly group meetings, MCT’s facilitate discussions about troubling or difficult cases that were witnessed by their students on ward rotations. During individual meetings, the MCT’s review student progress, with particular attention to the 27 presenting problems of the Clinical Transaction Project.

The MCT program also serves to further develop the teaching skills of the MCT’s. At monthly meetings, the MCT’s review pertinent literature about best practices in clinical teaching and assessment, and share with each other their own best ideas and practices. They are then encouraged to share the acquired knowledge and skills with other faculty members in their departments. In this way, the MCT program enlarges its sphere of influence and serves to elevate the teaching mission of the medical school. The program also promotes the scholarship of teaching by encouraging MCT’s to engage in innovation and research, and to present their efforts at regional, national and international forums.