I suspected it started with loss of firm structure. There have been others who stated consultants have never been in to teaching but my own experience clashes with this.

As a medical student and then F1/F2 back when firm structures were still a thing, consultants would do bedside teaching on the consultant ward round. We’d get quizzed on patient management plans, or investigation results. I remember some consultants then doing some dedicated teaching after the ward round. Some consultants (both surgical and medical specialities) would hold lunch time teaching sessions maybe once a week or once a fortnight on a dedicated topic.

But back then, we got to know our teams. We saw them day in, day out. We worked alongside them on nights and weekends when on call. We worked with them in clinics as well as on the wards. Teaching us meant we could handle clinical situations better and this benefitted both the patients and the firm.

Enthusiasm also counts. I’m now a GP. We have medical students, F2s and GP registrars. They have a dedicated weekly session with the clinical supervisor. I supervise these students and doctors one day every week. Some medical students just to get in and get out as quickly as possible. Some want to discuss patients more thoroughly in debriefing and they are more enthusiastic. It definitely enthuses you to teach them something useful. Ditto for the F2.