Master Teacher Program

Applications for 2024-2026 are no longer being accepted.

The application period for the 2024-2026 cohort closed on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Applications for 2025-2027 will be accepted in the late-spring of 2025.

Teaching is one of the core missions of the Department of Medicine. The department is committed to providing high quality teaching for learners at all levels in a variety of settings. The ability of the department to achieve this goal depends on the recognition and support of its outstanding teachers, and the creation of opportunities to promote the development of excellence in teaching skills in the faculty.

Overview

The Master Teacher Program is a two-year instructional development certificate course designed for full time faculty members, clinical fellows including PGY5s, and clinical associates with major teaching responsibilities. The program provides a core series of interactive seminars on medical teaching and education topics. Program participants are also provided with opportunities to present their own teaching through clinical teaching practica. The core series includes sessions on essential teaching topics:

small and large group teaching techniques,
bedside teaching,
assessing learner needs,
promotion of understanding and retention of knowledge,
evaluation and assessment,
feedback,
teaching in difficult situations,
competence by design,
equity, diversity and allyship,

…and many other relevant teaching and education topics.

The practicum is conducted in small groups with participants having opportunities to practice their own teaching and receive feedback. It is expected that the group will become a strong cohort that will promote individual growth and development of each member through feedback and interaction. Therefore, individuals participating in the program must make a full commitment to attend all sessions (mostly in-person) to support this process over the two-year duration of the course.

The program will lead to a "Certificate of Completion of the Master Teacher Program" from the Department of Medicine.

Goal

The goal of the Master Teacher Program is to provide advanced training for clinician-teachers to enhance their teaching effectiveness. The program will help physicians develop excellent teaching skills relevant to their clinical settings where they spend their professional time. Ultimately, the program will foster the careers of a cadre of superb "master teachers" who provide the highest quality of teaching for our students.

Curriculum

The program is a two-year course that runs September–May.
The requirements to fulfill the program include one half-day session per week (Wednesday afternoons for the September 2024 to May 2026 cohort).
Participants are expected to make a commitment to attend regularly (mandatory ≥80% attendance).

Year 1

Core seminar series - The core seminar series will meet every week for a total of at least 13 sessions; each session is about three and a half hours in duration. The topics of the core series includes: a series of microanalytic teaching skills (learning climate, control of session, communication of goals, understanding and retention, evaluation, feedback, self-directed learning). A further 13-week seminar series on mentoring, lecture techniques, small and large group teaching, teaching communication skills, and other medical teaching topics will be presented. A reading program will be included.

Practicum - The practicum includes sessions that follow or are interspersed with the core seminar series. Participants present their own work and receive feedback from the group and facilitator(s). This includes opportunities to observe videotaped teaching sessions or direct observation of teaching (lectures, PBL teaching, etc.) by the peers.

Year 2

Ongoing workshops with the core group of participants - This is a continuation of the practicum started in the first year. Again, interspersed with practicum sessions, will be interactive teaching sessions on a wide variety of topics relevant to clinical teachers.

Scholarly Project Work - Approximately one quarter of curricular time in the second year will be devoted to project work. Each participant, either individually or as part of a small or large group, will work on the development of a teaching or educational deliverable that meets their own teaching needs. These projects will be of a calibre that will allow the participant to work towards presentation at a national education meeting or to publish in relevant literature.

Funding

Master Teacher Program participants must have “protected time” to participate in half-day sessions once a week for two years, September–May. Since individuals’ time commitments are highly variable, this should be discussed with the appropriate division director and/or physician-in-chief. The Department of Medicine will support the core series and practicum so there will be no tuition costs for active members of the department. For enrollees outside of the University of Toronto, Department of Medicine, an annual tuition ($7,500/year × 2 years) will be charged. Further information can be obtained from the program co-directors or program administrator.

Applications:

The online application process includes an application form and the following required materials as MS Word (.doc, .docx) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) files:

your application letter describing your present clinical and teaching responsibilities and future career plans. This must include an indication of your plans to commit the required protected time for the Master Teacher Program,
your Curriculum Vitae and teaching portfolio/teaching dossier, and
a letter of support from your division director and/or physician-in-chief. This letter should include a description of your present teaching responsibilities, your future role in the teaching program of the institution, and a clear commitment to protect your time to participate in the Master Teacher Program. The half-day weekly classes should be protected time, and there should be a commitment to be able to continue for the full 2-years of the program.

Program inquiries:

Christian Base, Master Teacher Program Administrator
Email: mtp@utoronto.ca
Phone: 416-978-4499

Program Co-Directors:

Drs. Umberin Najeeb and Geoffrey Watson.