Welcome!

Memorial University Faculty of Medicine Gynecological Teaching Associate Information Session February 9, 2009 4:30 – 6:00 Liz Ohle, SP Educator

Gynecological Teaching Associates

How do Medical Students learn to do breast examinations and pap tests?

The Standardized Patient Program

   Medical students must learn to interview and examine patients with all types of physical and mental ailments.

The GTA program is one part of a much larger program, the Standardized Patient program, that allows students to learn and practice skills in non-threatening learning environments that will do no harm to people who are sick. Introductions of the SP staff.

Topics for this evening

 What is a GTA?

 How do you learn the GTA curriculum?

 What is it like to be a GTA?

 What is the time frame.

 How are you paid?

 How do you apply?

Learning from a woman, including hearing about a patient’s perspective

    A GTA is a teacher and a patient simultaneously.

She teaches proper examination techniques to students, using her body as the instructional tool.

It is medically accurate, plus gives information about patient’s concerns during a very personal examination.

No physicians are present.

GTA Sessions

 Focus specifically on interviewing a woman about her sexual health and learning to examine her breasts, vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus and ovaries.

  Each GTA must have these anatomical parts so that students can learn to ‘find’ them and examine them.

GTA sessions are ‘well-woman exams,’ like an annual check-up with no medical problems.

Content of a GTA session

   Focused history taking. Students learn to use non-offensive, non-judgmental language about sensitive topics in a way that helps the patient feel emotionally safe.

Breast examination review, while teaching the patient the skills to perform self exams. Examination of the external genitalia.

Content, continued

 Inserting a speculum to view the cervix.

 Students do not practice scraping the cervix to take specimens for a Pap.  Bi-manual examination with two fingers in the vagina and one hand on the lower abdomen.

 Continuous feedback from the GTA about the student’s techniques and use of language.

See how it works….

    It can be difficult to envision being the teacher while being the patient.

Not like the common experience of an uninvolved patient lying flat on the exam table.

As the teacher/patient, you are completely in charge of the session, even though you are in a traditionally vulnerable position.

It is the GTA’s role to create a safe learning environment for the students. They are very nervous.

Video of a session in progress

   This is made for training purposes by the GTAs and SP staff of our program. It helps you visualize the exact role of a GTA.

We will see one section of the video as a demonstration of how the GTA is in charge, and teaching even when she is exposed. The full video is about an hour long. (For privacy reasons, the video is not included in the Powerpoint.)

Training

    This is an extensive process so that each GTA learns the anatomy and proper exam techniques.

We use discussion, didactic instruction, video resources, and hand outs.

You will have ‘hands on’ practice with each other.

You will have an examination by a gynecologist to learn specific information about your body that will help you direct the students.

Training,

continued     You will observe an actual session with medical students instructed by an experienced GTA.

You will gradually teach portions of the curriculum with the support of an experienced GTA.

Finally, you will be ready to conduct sessions independently. A session consists of one GTA teaching two students with staff support nearby.

When is training?

   Trainings will occur on Mondays, the same time as our GTA sessions. They will take place in our training area on the first floor.

After screening applications and conducting interviews, training sessions will begin. These will be weekly for 6 – 8 weeks. All sessions are required.

Time commitment for sessions

   GTA sessions take place monthly. Two or three GTAs are needed each month. We need 6 – 8 trained GTAs in our group due to scheduling complications related to menstrual cycles, holidays, etc. Each GTA works 4 – 6 sessions annually.

Comments from one of our experienced GTAs

 What was it like initially during the training? Were you embarrassed? Was it hard to learn all of the information?

 What is it like working with the students?

 What is one of your best experiences?

 Have you had any bad experiences?

 Why do you like being a GTA?

Pay

   You become a casual employee of Memorial University.

All of our Standardized Patients progress through 5 pay levels until they reach the top of the scale, $20 per hour. You will follow this progression during your training.

Following training, during full GTA sessions when you are teaching the students, you are paid $98 per student (usually two per evening) plus the $20 hourly rate.

Any Questions?

What now?

 If you are interested, fill out the application and return it to our office by Monday, February 16 th , 5:00pm. We will contact those we want to interview.

 Interviews will take place during the week of March 9 th .