A CLINICAL TEACHING COURSE FOR RESIDENTS IMPROVES SELF-PERCEPTION ABOUT PREPARATION TO TEACH   Background: Medical doctors need to be competent to teach patients, their families, students, and the health care team. In a previous study we determined that although the residents attach great importance to have teaching skills, they do not feel prepared to meet this role. Aim: To assess self-perception of learning in a formal course of training how to teach for residents. Material and methods: In 2004 we implemented the course "Residents as Clinical Teachers", based on the Stanford Faculty Development Center for Medical Teachers Model (SFDC), for residents of a Medical School. Residents of all the post graduate programs were invited to take the course as an elective during the period 2004-2011. At the end of the course each resident completed the pre/post Seminar Series Housestaff/student Questionnaire; assessing perceptions of learning, expressed in a Likert scale from 1-5. Results: The implementation of the course in 111 residents significantly improved self-perception of general preparation for teaching and improved self-perception of preparedness in each educational category. The personal goals most commonly established by participants were on feedback (52, 2%), control of session (44%) and communication of goals (40%). Barriers for teaching most frequently identified were lack of time to do clinical teaching (51, 3%) and environmental limitations (16, 2%). The main impact of the course reported by residents were acquisition of teaching skills or tools for teaching (39, 6%), enhancing of motivation (14%), and a richer understanding of teaching principles (14%). Conclusions: A clinical teaching course for residents improves their self-perception of preparation to teach and enhances motivation for clinical teaching.