How to Train Doctors and Other Knowledge-Based Professionals

(Because knowledge-based professionals are independent minded does not mean they are not trainable or won't learn)

Here are some tips for fledgling doctor trainers:

1. Describe what you want to achieve and predict how long training will take.
2. Keep training sessions short. You want your doctor to enjoy training.
3. Have a training session before you feed your doctor. A hungry doctor is more eager to perform for his/her food reward.
4. Precede a command with your doctor's name.
5. Get his/her attention at the exact moment your doctor is performing the desired behavior.
6. Give your doctor his/her food reward immediately after getting his attention.
7. Pet and praise your doctor after giving the reward.
8. If your doctor isn't succeeding, you are proceeding too quickly.
9. Teach only one new behavior at a time.
10. Develop a benchmark that works best for giving the reward.

Review Commandment #1 and share results; begin again with new goals.

Adapted from Friskies and The Cat Fanciers Association of Cincinnati. Houston Chronicle, April 15, 2001.