Residents as Teachers: Benefits of Creating Infographics

Abstract

Introduction: While family medicine (FM) residents are expected to develop teaching skills during their residency, they often develop their approach to teaching informally, with limited explicit instruction in best teaching practices for patients or near peers. Infographics have become an increasingly common tool for teaching because of their ease of use and consistency of message. We explored the impact of an infographic assignment on residents’ teaching practices and perceptions of teaching.  Methods: First- and second-year residents were assigned to create infographics on a topic of their choice. We transcribed and analyzed interviews using applied thematic analysis.  Results: Residents indicated that the assignment helped them to integrate medical knowledge, identify pertinent points, and intentionally consider how they present information. Conclusion: Creating infographics is a useful way to develop residents’ teaching skills within the context of patient care. For most residents, explicit discussion of their approach to teaching was a new experience, suggesting that more frequent and explicit reflection on teaching could benefit residents, patients, and FM residency programs.