IDENTIFICATION OF SKILLS FOR THE PROBLEM-BASED TUTOR - STUDENT AND FACULTY PERSPECTIVES

Student ratings of problem-based tutors at Harvard Medical School in 1 987-1988 indicated that tutors were seen by first year students as mos t helpful in encouraging critical appraisal of information, questionin g and probing the reasoning process, and balancing basic science and c linical discussions. Narrative comments about the best tutors further indicated that such tutors were most helpful in balancing student-dire ctedness with guidance and sharing professional expertise without lect uring. A concurrent survey of faculty tutors indicated that tutors rat ed these same skills as important. Comparing students' ratings of help fulness with tutors' ratings of importance, two discrepancies emerged. Tutors rated student direction as more important than students rated its helpfulness. On the other hand, tutors rated the ability to balanc e clinical and basic science discussion as the least important skill w hile students' ratings indicated that it was extremely helpful. These disparities suggest points of discussion and skill building for facult y development programming.