Reflections on Teaching and Learning Philosophy in Medical Practice

This essay presents the teaching and learning philosophy of a medical professional, Ashok, rooted in personal experiences as a psychiatry trainee and doctor of medicine. The philosophy emphasizes self-reflection, mentorship, and the importance of creating a supportive learning environment for junior doctors and medical students. Ashok draws parallels between photography and psychiatry, highlighting the need to understand the underlying factors influencing behavior. The essay discusses various teaching methods, including lectures, case-based discussions, and the use of social interaction and the zone of proximal development. The importance of role models, effective communication, and the holistic approach to patient care are also underscored. The author reflects on their experiences, including early teaching sessions and feedback, and highlights the significance of intrinsic motivation and addressing transference and countertransference in the teaching process. The essay concludes by emphasizing the continuous nature of learning and the value of practice-based learning in the medical field.

INTRODUCTION:
Philosophy is conceptualised as of what one thinks, values and believes.
Learning philosophy is very much intrinsic to the individual, and it is not easy at
all to learn one’s own philosophy. There is constant need for self-reflection. My
teaching and learning philosophy have emerged from values that are learnt from
several exposures and life experiences i.e. from my parents, my teachers, and
from own experience of working as a psychiatry trainee and doctor of medicine.
As an avid photographer, I enjoy capturing precious moments of everyday life.
They all serve as a clear illustration of the world through my eyes, often evoking
a sentimental emotion or event. The tales behind the pictures make them quite
remarkable as well.
The journey of teaching and learning is continuous and lifelong. I consider that
knowledge is inevitable and continual fragment of our daily life; being learning
from our experiences, from things, following facts and fictions along with daily
life concepts. General medical council have published guidelines on the key
importance of training, teaching and providing mentorship roles for students
and other health professionals for doctors. (Di and McEwan, 2016). The pivotal
role of mentorship is highlighted by Good Medical Practice (GMC, 2013) that
perform by us in the development of professional for junior doctors, trainees and
medical students in developing clinical competencies, attitude and
professionalism. There are some themes that can feature in my own work that
occur strongly in teaching. The first theme occurs as the understanding of
theoretical and philosophical which develops directly on the notion. From this it
can be easily transform to teaching for students. This also helps me in describing
my understanding of knowledge about learning and teaching. This helps me in in
identifying issue that come up within teaching in a more relatively manner.
Indore theme of teaching there are various demands that are needed to be
address within teaching. While providing lessons for long term basis it is
necessary to maintain flexibility so that mind of students can be open. After this,
the management while teaching also provides assessment of issues. Through this
it has been analyses that it is essential to have proper skills and knowledge in
order to successful and effectively conduct practices. Information and knowledge
is significant for providing proper guidance and direction so that required set of
activities could be performed effectively and efficiently. Mentor is significant for
providing support in order to increase individual capabilities and potential. It is
crucial to have accurate understanding about theoretical and philosophical
elements which will help in enhancing potential of individual to successfully
conduct task.
Having reflected on my own teaching experiences and those instilled by
numerous teachers during my training both in medicine and my specialty
(psychiatry), I feel prepared to act as a driving force to support junior trainees
and doctors in training towards a career in psychiatry. It is my preservation and
curiosity that I endeavour to be a role model for my learners.

I had many difficult encounters with patients in my medical career and with this
I can able to reflect on my capabilities both from trainee and from my
consultants’ point of view. In many ways, the duties of a photographer parallel
the meticulous work of a psychiatrist. Much as a photographer must understand
the mechanics involved in using a camera, a psychiatrist must inherently
comprehend the many factors that influence human behaviour and actions.
Photos and patients may often at first present in a certain manner; however,
there are particular details that must be uncovered to provide the complete story
behind the initial presentation.
With this analogy in mind, I have proudly used this same approach in psychiatry
in which I have greatly cherished each of my patients’ unique perspectives,
feelings, and life experiences. Simply by spending quality time with them and
addressing their fears and concerns, I have been able to successfully form strong
bonds and have enjoyed earning their friendship and trust. Through this I am
able to develop and create strong relationship with co workers as well as
learning environment is significant for enhancing my overall capabilities and
potential to successful conduct required task. I am able to develop strong
relationship with other through effective communication. Learning environment
is useful for improving my potential to carry out task. As a result, I am able to
explore their emotions and thoughts on a more profound level and acquire a
larger idea of their struggles, triumphs, aspirations, and fears. In addition, I have
also found that each patient encounter in which I utilized this approach only
enhanced my skills as a compassionate physician.
The clinical cases that have been reviewed by me are of many examples in which
I was able to develop a great appreciation for the field of psychiatry. This
specialty has enabled me to fully understand the true significance of
compassionate care and effective communication on a patient’s well-being. In
fact, I have never experienced continual personal gratification in helping others
as I have in this specialty. I have also come to realize that that it is crucial to
address each person as a whole, since good emotional and physical health is the
key to living a balanced life. While curing an individual’s illness is gratifying, I
find that the holistic approach to medicine in psychiatry provides the ultimate
personal and professional satisfaction. I hope these experiences will be catalyst
for positive role model for junior doctors and medical students that are attached
to my placement. There are various benefits of role model as they motivates
students to enhance their potential so that they can overcome from their
weaknesses. The function of a role model is having some attribute suggest
developing trust and relationship so that each individual can and their own
needs also by role model. With the help of this the effective health Care practices
can be develop. This is important to be agar within teaching so that it can make
benefits to students with their learning process. Role of teaching and learning for
professional skills is very important as it is significant for successful and
effectively conducting business task. It is important for an individual to have
proper teaching and learning activities as this will provide proper direction to
carry out required task in better manner. This will help in improving potential
and capabilities of a person so that they can conduct task in effective and
efficient manner.

In medical school in India, the curriculum is divided into 3 18 months terms, first
18 months the teaching being delivered by combination of lectures, power point
presentations, didactic and at times problem-based approach. There were
practical skills session also delivered. The first 18 months the subject taught
were anatomy, physiology and biochemistry; known as basic sciences. The
second 18 months were the preclinical sciences and the last 18 months being
clinical sciences (Kasper, J. and et.al., 2016). Last 36 months were hospital
placements and teaching were delivered via cased based discussion, case
presentation and knowledge was consolidated with lectures. These all
experiences also impacted on my teaching and learning practices as it includes
various types of methods within teaching. It includes PowerPoint presentation
from which subject can make more understandable to students. Along with this
different approaches are also used which help in solving problems that may
occur within lecture. During starting month the lecture includes basic science
which is an appropriate way of practices from which properly knowledge can be
transfer to students.
Etienne Wenger (Zhan, 2019) has written how students are influenced by social
interactions including context and the relation of its meaning with it. Social
internation can be describe as the capabilities of individual to successful interact
with others. This will help in gaining information and understanding about
different topics . It will directly influence on learning of a person. The diversity of
teaching methods in medical education has highlighted the need for adopting a
multi-theories model. (Taylor and Hamdy, 2013). Content based learning
underpins both the medical education and development of professional principle
guiding medical training.
SUCCESSFUL LEARNING:
I allude with Phil Race’s ‘ripples on a pond’ explanation around successful
learning experiences in adulthood. According to Bradner and Mills, 2019 there
are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to learning. Avoiding punishment or
avoiding any kind of trouble is example of extrinsic motivation. Where as
internal growth, satisfaction and so on are example of intrinsic motivation. In
medical education learning is driven both by the need to learn professionally to
be successful at the examination of the royal college of psychiatrist and wanting
to learn to become a better teacher and role model for other health professionals
(Pereira, 2016). Engaging the audience, getting to understand their need for
learning are important first steps to spark their interest. This helps to transcend
learning from the teaching environment to a broader scope for learning. I
generally prefer smaller group as this is easier to engage as described by
Vygotsky (1978), zone of proximal development. I always strive to develop zone
of proximal development during my teaching sessions. As the meaning of
vygotsky is that, he believes that when students are come up within zone of
proximal development then it is necessary to provide the proper assistance that
their enthusiasm can boost up while performing any task. With the help of this
theory, it has me in my own practices by providing appropriate learning process

to students so that I can enhance and motivate them to perform a task. As per the
views of Kimberly Holland, 2019 I also watch from the transference and
countertransference during the teaching session as it also underpins delivery of
teaching sessions. The transference is defined as the redirection according to
feeling of patient among a particular person to the practitioner. While the
counter transference refers the, redirection feelings of therapist or practitioner
towards a person and patient. Within this the emotional entanglement among
patient by therapist is occur. This too can be address and ensure about your own
countertransference. (Anderson et al, 2001) suggested cognitive hierarchy
categories that discusses competency progressions from various stages of
learning from superficial levels to developing key understanding of concept as it
moves to deeper learning. For example, I have understood the principle behind
mental capacity act and deprivation of liberty through self-learning at training
websites, supported with classroom learning and tutorials and application of the
knowledge based in scenarios as part of the multi-disciplinary team and self-
reflection whereby I learnt that decision made in best interest of the patient can
be grey. This session was originally deliver by me with using these themes within
classroom learning process. With the use of training website through self-
learning I can understand the mental capacity of students that provide support
within classroom. These teaching skills also help in solving the potential
feedback from students and this also help in reflecting my own personal
learning. There are other methods that can be used differently than learning
process in classroom that is use of different themes with the learning process
PRACTICE BASED LEARNING:
My first experience of teaching was delivery a lecture on cardiac vascular
physiology to group of medical students during my placement as an intern at the
medical school. The teaching session was delivered as to achieve all the required
learning outcomes for training. On reflection, I would have delivered the teaching
differently, where in I would have explored medical students understanding of
the topics and have divided them into different groups and support their
learning by applying them in clinical scenarios (Waghid and et. al., 2018). I have
immensely improved as a teacher, reflecting on the constructive feedbacks both
from my students and the supervisor. (We are required to complete. In this I
have identified that various issues and problems. These will lead to significantly
impact over my performance and abilities to successful conduct business task.
Due to this I am not able to successful carry out required practises in more
accurate manner. This lead to have affect over my effectiveness to conduct task.
Assessment of Teaching-AOT as part of the work-based assessment for the
training portfolio. The feedbacks have been useful to modulate my teaching
styles, this resonates well with Kolb cycle (1984). The feedbacks are linked with
this cycle as it provides the idea of reflective practitioner that uses with their
learning process. As the cycle have four kinds of abilities that it is necessary in
context of learning. from this the abilities of learners can be evaluated by
analysing their involvement in other learning process and experiences. The
knowledge acquired as part of the learning is continuously refined with practice
(Race P, 2014). Learning itself is an evolving process, where the knowledge and
skills acquired are constantly challenged, creating a process of ‘dissonance’;

serving as a starting point for redefining new learning (Alsager and, Omar, 2019).
The process of dissonance refers the lack of agreement between individuals. This
can be describe as the lack of harmony between different types of individuals.
This is lack of agreement between what people want to believe and what trust
people have on particular aspects. As this become an challenge while serving
new learning to students. Self-awareness is key component for being competent
teacher, and supporting individuals to identify their learning needs. In a role of
mine i see myself as a clinician-trainer to create the dissonance sense through
various modes of teaching to stimulate the need for learning and learner’s self-
reflection for identifying their learning outcomes. This will be contributing in
successfully performance of particular task as well as timely accomplishing
desired goals and objectives. This will provide proper direction and guidance to
carry out required task in better manner.
CONSOLIDATED LEARNING:
I have consolidated my learning skills sets based on the constructive feedbacks
that I have received through years of my teaching experiences. I have considered
feedback as approach as it is significant for providing me complete detail and
information about the need of improvement. The specialty of psychiatry is very
different from others, as the first experience itself can shut some medical
students down with fear and anxiety. It is important to support them and guide
through the process by practicing and supporting them. The feedback has
facilitated deep learning (Carless and Boud, 2018). My approach towards feedback
is preferably informal as it should reinforce positive learning and support
learner’s confidence. It is likely that the learner will react negatively to uncalled
criticism, dampening learning skills. As per British council, it has been
determined that consolidation is a stage that include new material and hopefully
learning is reinforced (Consolidation, 2020). The learning can be stimulated
further by provision of environment whereby the learners have opportunities to
recall the learning within the group for further retention and as argued by Race
(Takeda, 2017) that ‘ learning is not completed until attempt is made to reassess
others learning’ and therefore I am more enthusiast for form of informal peer
assessment as part of the teaching session that is delivered. I can consider online
learning activities in order to improve my knowledge and understand about the
topic. This is easy to use and I can consider this strategy whenever I have time.
This strategy is can be use anywhere and anytime. By taking feedbacks from
various students provides effective skills of an teachers from which is it and fear
of students can be minimised. This also provide support in deep learning process
among learners (Wang and et.al, 2019). Aisa use various approaches in feedbacks
that help in developing confidence and positive outcome of learning process.
There are other practices that is significant for increasing learning of an
individual.
The completion of the Honey and Mumford (1986) learning style which includes
questionnaire for the course, scored highly on preference for reflector and
theorist, moderate for pragmatist and low for activist. I completely resonate with
the findings, as reflective learning helps me to understand the experience better
and in turn enhancing the work quality. As I used in my teaching process which

helps me in reflecting my own learning strategies. With the help of this the
quality of learning process is enhanced and it also can relate to my teaching
strategies that i used with learning process.
With modernisation of medical education and training, there came the process of
work-based placed assessments (WBPA) and annual review of competency
progression (Thomas and et.al., 2016). (ARCP). I support my junior trainees with
work-based placed assessments as part of the teaching feedback and intended
learning. I discuss with them the benefits of reflective learning as part of the
work based placed assessments and its useful to further strengthen their
learning (Liu, 2018). I also resonate with belief of Cowan’s is that ‘noteworthy
matters are identified for attention” (Gould and Taylor, 2017). I complete
reflective pieces for events that have conjured positive or negative emotions. A
John Dewey once said that we learn from reflection of experiences rather than
learning from experiences (John Dewey, 2020). My memorable learning has been
from the experiences so I do disagree with the first quote, reflecting learning has
indeed consolidated my skills and knowledge (Whitman and Beeson, 2018).
CONCLUSION
Learning is a lifelong process that will go through phases of experiences,
experimentation and reflection in trying to make sense of the learning principle
and how to apply the knowledge in my teaching skills. The edge hill course,
reading around the learning theories has inspired me to develop further learning
strategies for students and develop insightful curriculum. As the development of
inside a circular is an interesting strategies that can used in learning and
teaching practices from which the confidence of students can be enhanced. From
this the further strategies in learning process can be develop which can promote
their confidence (Nisbet and Shucksmith, 2017). During my own philosophy self-
reflection , I have become conscious of my values system that I actually perceived
for a learner, teacher, learning environment and teaching learning process. The
module will support my learning in the medical workplace. I will strive to be a
role model for my students and will continues to teach them in a safe learning
environment. At last I would like to state words of Alexandra trenfor is that, “The
best learning providers are those who provides the outlook but don’t tell about
what to see” (Alexandra K.Trenfor, 2020).
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