A study was done to examine the relationships between medical residents' beliefs about their clinical teaching roles and their teaching behaviors within the context of work rounds. The research was conceptually based on theories of symbolic interactionism and reasoned action. Fourteen residents in general internal medicine, representing four residency levels, participated in the study. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches were used. Data were derived from documents, interviews, and direct observations. The analysis revealed: (1) that there were five dimensions of residents' beliefs (patient care tasks, academic, social, contextual, and personal); (2) that there was congruence between the residents' teaching role beliefs and teaching behaviors during work rounds; (3) that the residents' had implicit rules of educational practice, generated from their explicit expressions of concerns; and (4) that the residents' clinical training experiences were the primary source of their belief systems and actions. A conceptual model describes the reciprocal interactions between residents' beliefs and actions as they strive to teach and learn within the clinical arena. Finally, implications for residency training and future research are drawn from the emergent results of the study. Included are seven tables, data and information on the instruments in four appendixes, and 44 references. (JB)