When I begin an orientation session with new medical learners, I frame our working relationship with this thought: they are my junior colleagues.
I remember how I felt when I first heard this from a preceptor: it set the vibe not only for that rotation, but also for my practice. I tell all my patients that someone taught me how to be a doctor, and now I get to show others how to be a doctor.
And so, I encourage my learners to practice their skills and receive feedback. Pointing out areas for improvement isn't meant to bring shame, but rather to sharpen their clinical reasoning. Because in a few years, they will be a fellow family physician or a specialist colleague, and they'll likely be doing the same for me.
The CaRMS match is a major transition point for medical students as it sets them on their path for their specialty, and receiving the news from my students this past week has been a thrill! Glad to have been part of their medical training and looking forward to crossing paths with these colleagues again.
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