Teaching by Great Teachers
Abstract
Many of us, Dear Reader, love to teach. It was our love of teaching that brought us to academic medicine, and it is our love of teaching that continues to make us feel lucky to work in this profession. Among the many dedicated educators in academic psychiatry, some are truly exceptional. These individuals are the great teachers in our field whose work is set apart by its mix of perspective, rigor, charisma, creativity, and technique. The work of these great teachers is distinct most importantly for its effect on learners, ranging from salutary to transformative. Three articles in this issue of Academic Psychiatry (1–3) have been contributed by some of the truly great teachers we know. These teachers describe their passion for medical education and, as our readers will discover, they do so with a delightful diversity of writing styles. Joel Yager (1) presents a vision of the future of psychiatry insightfully, wittily, and wisely, with just enough irreverence to remind the reader, aka the learner, to pay close attention to his message. Glen Gabbard (2) has a heavier tone, communicating his heartfelt meaning in a serious and introspective way. Drs. Fidler, Trumbull, Ballon, Peterkin, Averbuch, and Katzman