I have participated in residency training programs for several years in
Austin.  Once at a Family Practice clinic (low income) which generally has
4-5 residents at a time, and once at a local county hospital (for a group of
about 12), and once for a large grand rounds at a pediatric society (over
100 in attendance).  Each time the events were organized by a bfg friendly
doctor who had a program-planning stint, and decided to insert (sneak in) a
bfg training component.  I found the FP residents generally  non-receptive,
altho it was probably my fault for preparing a very researched-oriented
presentation. Not being a doctor myself, they dis-respected my ability to
understand research or to present it to them.  This, I have come to accept
as human nature, and I have changed my tactics.

 The second and third time I relied heavily on humor to loosen them up
first, and did mostly a Q&A format which I think was much less threatening
for them to receive from a non-peer.    Their questions are always
interesting, generally provide plenty of space to get across major concepts.
That format provides a really good window  into the mind-sets of the
residents.  I got so many insights about what the major knowledge deficits
are, and what the points of philosophical resistance are, and I think it was
a wonderful bridge building effort.  I think you can hook almost anyone on
lactation physiology if you can get them to listen for a minute, because it
is such a marvel.  Once hooked, then you can get people to actually study
it.  Pass out a copy of Neiferts 1996 Contemp. Peds article after the first
presentation, and maybe one of those Lawrence journal articles which are
comprehensive, quick over-views and assign them as reading.  I think if
there was a way to get an LC who really understood latch on and positioning
(like you do, Chris) to do bedside grand rounds and show the residents how
to help mom's latch a couple of times, history would be made.  I am still
amazed at the amount of times I'm called out to see someone with "chronic
yeast" or some sort of other "diagnosis"  who has suffered for weeks and
gone thru no end of hoop-la over presumed fungal devastation, only to
discover that its simple mechanical trauma.  Our MAIN skill is latch on
teaching.


Barbara Wilson-Clay, BSEd, IBCLC
Austin Lactation Associates, Austin, Texas
http://www.jump.net/~bwc/lactnews.html