The Genitourinary Teaching Associate Program
A Genitourinary Teaching Associate (GTA or GUTA) is an individual who is trained to teach techniques and protocol for performing the gender-specific physical examination to healthcare trainees, using him or herself as a demonstration and practice model. The GTA also provides feedback to the students in a supportive environment for skill development and practice. Emphasis is on teaching from the patient perspective. This program involves invasive examination.
- A female GTA teaches a basic routine breast, pelvic and rectal examination
- A male GTA teaches a routine male genital-rectal examination
- Both male and female GTAs include physician-patient communication and patient education in their instruction, equipping students with compassionate and caring interpersonal skills for effective patient communication in the GU exam
Our basic educational model provides instruction for two students with one GTA. The session for male instruction is one hour. The session for female instruction is one and one-half hours in duration.
Individuals are carefully recruited and trained. Men and women will be selected with emphasis on the following criteria:
- comfortable with his/her body sexuality
- comfortable in discussing and demonstrating his/her own anatomy with others, and possess a high level of comfort with instruction involving invasive examination
- able to communicate articulately and to convey information clearly and in a professional manner
- sensitive to instructing medical students on how to perform physical examination and to interact with patients
- interested in education and in contributing to the development of excellent healthcare professionals
- possess sophisticated interpersonal skills
The benefits for the students of this educational model include:
- the humanizing of the patient
- an understanding of the genital, urinary and rectal anatomy (and breast in the female exam) necessary for effective and sensitive clinical skills provided in a supportive environment
- the instructor as the patient provides immediate feedback, reassurance and opportunity for experiential learning
- time for individualized attention and feedback
- small group size maintains engagement of entire student group throughout instruction
- students are introduced to patient education during the instruction
To supervise the instructional content and revisions necessary to maintain a high standard in the GTA program, Johns Hopkins has enlisted consultants Dr. Nancy Hueppchen, Assistant Professor, Gynecology and Obstetrics and Dr. H. Ballentine Carter, Professor of Urology.
Contact Information
If you are interested in this work or have questions, please contact Rose Zaeske, Program Manager:
410-614-0847
Salary information is provided in the Employment Opportunities section.
