Essential Skills for a Medical Teacher is a perfect introduction for new teachers to the exciting opportunities facing them, whether they are working in undergraduate, postgraduate or continuing education. It will also be of considerable use to more experienced teachers to review and assess their own practice and gain a new perspective on how best to facilitate their students' or trainees' learning. The contents are based on the authors' extensive experience of what works in medical education, whether in teaching and curriculum planning or in the organisation of faculty development courses in medical education at basic and advanced levels

Professor Ronald M Harden is recognised as a leading international expert in medical education with experience as a teacher, curriculum developer, and teaching dean of a medical school. He is currently General Secretary of AMEE, an International Association for Medical Education.

• Section 1 - Challenges you face as a teacher (Teaching responsibilities)

  1. What is expected of you as a teacher at a time of change

  Section 2 - Specifying what students should learn (Outcome-based education)

  2. What is outcome or competency based education
  3. Specifying the learning outcomes and competencies
  4. Describing and communicating the learning outcomes and competencies
  5. Twelve steps in establishing an outcome or competency based approach
  6. Entrustable Professional Activities

  Section 3 - Planning the curriculum (The Curriculum)

  7. The authentic curriculum
  8. Ten questions to ask when planning a curriculum
  9. Sequencing curriculum content and the spiral curriculum
  10. A student-centred approach and student engagement
  11. Building learning around clinical problems and presentations
  12. Using an integrated approach
  13. Interprofessional education (IPE)
  14. Clinical teaching in the curriculum
  15. Information overload, the core curriculum and electives
  16. The importance of the education environment
  17. Mapping the curriculum

  Section 4 - Helping the student to learn (The teacher's toolkit)

  18. Selecting the teaching method
  19. Using sound educational principles
  20. Demonstrating passion for teaching
  21. Teaching large groups
  22. Learning in small groups
  23. Facilitating Independent learning
  24. Undertaking clinical teaching
  25. Making use of simulation
  26. Technology-enhanced learning
  27. Using peer and collaborative learning

  Section 5 - Checking that the student has learned (Assessment)

  28. Your institution's assessment PROFILE
  29. Six questions to ask about assessment
  30. Written assessment
  31. Clinical and performance-based assessment
  32. Portfolio assessment
  33. Self-assessment
  34. Assessment for admission to medicine and postgraduate training

  Section 6 - Planning for the future

  35. Evaluating the curriculum
  36. Knowing what works and doesn't work
  37. Bringing about change
  38. The future of medical education