Modern ways to enhance surgical teaching skills

Extrinsic pressures are influencing ways in which medical students and trainees learn, and are taught surgery and surgical principles. As a surgical educator it is useful to understand some of the reasons for these changes and to acquire the skills necessary to provide effective teaching. This short article looks at reasons why one would wish to develop surgical teaching skills, covers basic principles associated with delivery of effective teaching sessions and briefly reviews other avenues that may enhance teaching practice.