The obstetrics and gynaecology resident as teacher.

In this article we discuss the role residents play in the clinical training and evaluation of medical students. A literature search was performed to identify articles dealing with research, curriculum, and the evaluation of residents as teachers. We summarize the importance of resident educators and the need to provide appropriate resources for house staff in this role, and we review evidence-based literature in the area of residents as teachers.

To the point: reviews in medical education-taking control of the hidden curriculum.

This article, the ninth in the "To the Point" series that is prepared by the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Undergraduate Medical Education Committee, discusses the role of the "hidden curriculum" in shaping the professional identity of doctors in training. The characteristics that distinguish the formal curriculum and hidden curriculum are defined. Specific examples of hidden curricula in clinical environments and the positive and negative impacts that may result are highlighted.

To the point: medical education review of the role of simulators in surgical training.

Simulation-based training (SBT) is becoming widely used in medical education to help residents and medical students develop good technical skills before they practice on real patients. SBT seems ideal because it provides a nonthreatening controlled environment for practice with immediate feedback and can include objective performance assessment. However, various forms of SBT and assessment often are being used with limited evidence-based data to support their validity and reliability.