You don’t need to know it all

We have all been there before - your student asks you a question and your mind goes blank. You think, "I should probably know the answer to this!" But the reality is you don't - nor can you know it all! 

So why is it so important to be transparent with your student when you do not know the answer? Consider how impactful this authenticity is as you...

 Create a safe learning environment for the student. 

Sharing that you don’t know something with someone who is ultimately evaluating you can be very stressful.  Yes, there are basic expectations of what the student should know, but it is unrealistic for them to know everything.  Knowing that their educator is human, makes mistakes, and doesn’t know everything can create a safe place for them to share what they don’t know.  

        Role model your thinking process.

For students, being able to identify what you don’t know is important in developing their knowledge base and clinical reasoning. When you don’t know what you don’t know how will you know to find out?  This process comes more naturally for some than others, so it is helpful for students to see your thinking in action.     

        Role model life-long learning.

It’s not just the “I don’t know” but that it is followed up with, “what am I going to do about it?”  How do you sort this question out in the real world?   Where do you go for resources?  What’s great here is that this presents an opportunity for mutual learning.  For many clinicians, the students have stronger skills when it comes to finding the research for best practice.  They have something to offer you in this process.

So, if you’ve been pretending to know it all, you have my permission to stop the charade!  

Lisa 

Updated by Julie, 2024