Teaching Certificate

Since 2001, the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy has conducted the Teaching Certificate Program (TCP) for Pharmacy Residents with over 450 residents completing the TCP.  This program is designed around medical and adult education principles.  The focus is on introducing pharmacy residents to various aspects involved in teaching and learning, including both didactic and clinical instruction.  For each set of workshops, residents will be involved either as a participant or as a session leader – “discussant.”  Workshops occur throughout the residency year, and are attended by residents and coordinators.  At the completion of the TCP, residents are granted a teaching certificate based on program attendance and participation, peer review of lectures, and successful preparation of a guided teaching portfolio.  Workshop topics include:

• Backward design
• Creating a lesson plan
• Writing a teaching philosophy
• Facilitating classroom learning
• Tailoring the teaching environment to enhance learning
• Traditional and authentic methods to assess student learning
• Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA)
• Teaching mistakes
• Assessing your teaching performance
• Continuing professional development
• Supporting instructor and learner well-being
• Precepting Series: providing effective feedback, high performing teaching teams, designing and implementing an effective rotation

Affiliated Residency Programs include:

• UW School of Pharmacy
• UW Health
• William S. Middleton VA
• UnityPoint Health – Meriter
• SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital
• Monroe Clinic
• Clement J. Zablocki VA
• UW Veterinary Medicine
• Navitus Health Solutions

Please contact the TCP Coordinators:

• Beth Martin – beth.martin@wisc.edu
• Kim Lintner – klintner@wisc.edu
• Stephanie Gruber – stephanie.gruber@va.gov
• Kate Hartkopf – khartkopf@uwhealth.org

How is the learning accomplished?

A program coordinator will assist you as you develop your objectives and lesson plan for the respective workshop.  Background readings and activities are suggested prior to the workshops so participants can play an active role in the discussions.  Additionally, you will be encouraged to use the “guide sheet for teaching program session discussants” to help you successfully fulfill your role as a workshop co-leader.  Presentation of each topic incorporates perspectives from coordinators, active participation and hands on learning.

What are the requirements?

Several criteria will be used to grant a certificate of completion; these include attending at least four workshops, satisfactory completion of all assignments, and fulfilling discussant responsibilities for your designated workshop.

When and where does the program meet?

There are five total workshops that occur during the academic year – two during the fall semester and three that take place in the spring semester. The workshop sessions will be held in 2330 Rennebohm Hall from 12pm to 4pm or remotely on Zoom, as designated on the syllabus.

What teaching opportunities exist beyond the TCP?

Each residency program is unique in this regard.  Residents often co-precept students at their site, present a continuing education program and participate in instructional activities in the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy integrated skills lab.  Didactic teaching is independent from this TCP so consider this program complementary to teaching opportunities arranged by the site.

How would you briefly describe the program?

The program has been conducted since 2001 and brings together residents from various training programs throughout Wisconsin to compare learning and teaching approaches.  It is a dynamic learning environment that is participant-focused and created.  By the completion, the participant should have the fundamental skills to continue development as a pharmacy educator and pharmacy preceptor.

Where do participants typically go from here?

The majority of participants go on to clinical positions with teaching roles or specialty residencies.  Some have gone directly into faculty positions.  This program is not intended to replace fellowships and/or specialty programs in pharmacy education.

Text Books

The following textbooks will supplement workshop materials posted to the program website and will be available at most residency sites:

• Svinicki M and McKeachie WJ.  McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers.  14th Ed (2013).  Wadsworth Cengage Learning: California.
• Gross David B.  Tools for Teaching.  2nd Ed (2009).  Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA.

Program Fee

The fee for the program is $200.