Resources: Glossary of Terms
Clinical Consultation: Clinical consultation usually occurs at the trainee's site, or is focused on the trainee's patients and is trainee driven. Clinical consultations can last from a few minutes (i.e., telephone consultation) to hours or days (i.e., on-site training and mentoring). Training is usually one-on-one or team-based where the clinical consultant and trainee interact as a team at that site.
Clinical Mentoring: A process whereby clinical teaching skills and adult learning theory are combined and used in a way to facilitate learning by a trainee at any facility. Clinical mentoring can occur in your own clinical setting, or as a guest at someone else's site.
Clinical Training: Learners are highly involved with patients (or simulated patients) and faculty. Training usually occurs in clinical settings where real constraints in patient flow are encountered. Examples of clinical training activities include a practicum experience such as a mini-residency, working with a clinical preceptor, or rounds with a clinical instructor or mentor. Training is usually scheduled over several days and it can occur one-on-one or in a small group.
Didactic training: One-way communication between trainer and learner. Examples include lectures, grand rounds, and special topic seminars. Trainings are usually limited to an hour, with learners in a largely passive role.
Distance Learning: Conducted using computer or video-based technology, such as Digital Video Conferencing or interactive software to train persons. Distance learning provides an opportunity for both the trainer and trainees to stay at their workplace and to link people from different geographical areas in to one training.
Mentoring: The process whereby an experienced, highly regarded, empathetic person (the mentor), guides another individual (the mentee) in the development and re-examination of their own ideas, learning and personal and professional development. (Adapted from the Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education, 1998)
Off-site Clerkships: Clerkships generally provide practical hands-on training that can supplement didactic training. Clerkships offer opportunities for trainees to shadow people in the work place to observe and slowly start taking over clinical responsibilities in anticipation of clinical practice at the trainee's own clinical setting. Clerkships are used frequently to supplement pre-service curriculum in health care worker's training.
Skills-Building Workshops: Learners are highly involved, and sessions tend to last for several hours. Workshops are characterized by knowledge and skill exchanges and can include case presentations, role play, small group exercises, use of simulated patients, or other activities that elicit active audience participation and move beyond passive listening.
Technical Assistance: Technical assistance (TA) is provided to a person, organisation, or group that provides or directs care and/or services to people living with HIV/AIDS. TA is usually related to improving systems, policies, and procedures. It can also include addressing issues of confidentiality, legal concerns, and continuous quality improvement. TA consists of providing information, knowledge, advice, or consultation on subjects beyond individual patient care and treatment.
Preceptorship: A process by which an expert or specialist gives practical training and education in the form of experience to the preceptee. This process is often used in the pre-service training of health care workers. The preceptor holds all of the knowledge and has a goal to transfer it to his or her preceptee. This is not a reciprocal relationship. Knowledge is transferred in only one direction that is from the preceptor to the preceptee.
Twinning: Based upon a relationship between two sites to share expertise and information. Twinning is used extensively to match a US-based training institution to health care or training institutions in resource-constrained settings.