Abstract:
Medical school faculty need to improve their skills as teachers in order to contnbute to the training of future physicians and encourage changes in medical education. Considering that most medical professors have no formal training in education, a study was performed using a structured questionnaire in order to evaluate perception by medical faculty at the State University in Maringá, Paraná, Brazil, concerning the difficulties and unmet needs in their educational activities. Most participants in the study lacked any formal training in education and based their teaching skills on role models they encountered during their own expenence as medical students. There was extensive disagreement (and sometimes even lack of explicit opinions) in relation to feeling competent in the various domains of educational activities, thus suggesting the need for support for medical faculty. Needs assessment is difficult and often requires various methods. Even so, evaluation of faculty members' perceptions through a structured questionnaire revealed key areas in which teachers expenence the greatest difficulties and need reinforcement.
Key-words:
Education, Medical; Training; Faculty, Medical