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Lindsey Lane, M.D., director, Undergraduate Medical Education-Pediatrics, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, has been awarded the 2006 Outstanding Teaching Award from the Ambulatory Pediatric Association (APA). She is being recognized for her excellent work and dedication to implementing and evaluating innovative teaching methods in the Pediatric Clerkship at Jefferson Medical College. The award was presented at the APA national meeting held this week in San Francisco.

Established in 1972, the Outstanding Teaching Award is given to deserving programs only when the APA committee agrees that a program is exceptional. It is given to foster interest in the teaching of general pediatrics. To be considered, a program must demonstrate excellence in educational teaching methods, acceptance by students and/or residents, acceptance by the community and the institution, innovations and adaptability, or outstanding quality of the individuals trained in the program.

The Pediatric Clerkship at Jefferson Medical College was developed by a team led by Dr. Lane. Team members were comprised from Jefferson Medical College and other affiliated institutions. The Clerkship is a six-week long program. It consists of two weeks in the impatient service, three weeks in the outpatient setting, and one week in the newborn nursery with a half-day exposure to the intensive care nursery. The clerkship uses task-based learning, computer assisted instruction, standardized patients, structured direct observation and videotaping to develop the knowledge and skills of the medical students over the 6 weeks.

According to Dr. Lane, the goal of the Clerkship is for students to acquire the pediatric specific knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate for an undifferentiated medical school graduate. It also strives to help students develop universal clinical skills that are necessary to practice medicine in any specialty or discipline.