Tip of the week: Understand the role of a proctor

Sometimes the best way to understand something is to understand what it is not. When bringing new proctors on board, make sure they understand that proctoring is the process that allows for the focused evaluation of a physicians' current competency in carrying out clinical care and is not:

• Mentoring: This is the process by which a more senior physician helps a younger colleague along in his or her education. A mentoring relationship goes beyond proctoring, as there is an additional responsibility and interest on the part of the senior person to see to the success of the younger one.
• Preceptorship: This is a more formalized version of mentoring wherein the education of a less experienced physician is entrusted to a senior physician.
• Assisting: This is a situation wherein one physician helps another carry out a specific medical procedure. Assisting does not include any responsibility on the part of the physician providing the aid to monitor or evaluate, thus distinguishing this activity from proctoring.

This week's tip is adapted from Proctoring and Professional Practice Evaluation: Practical Approaches to Verifying Physician Competence by Robert J. Marder, MD; Mark A. Smith, MD, MBA, FACS; and Todd Sagin, MD, JD.