Determinants of case selection at morning report.
OBJECTIVE
To determine why residents present certain cases and not others at morning report (MR) in an institution that permits residents the free choice of cases.


METHODS
Prospective survey of 10 second- and third-year residents assigned to the medical service.


METHODS
A 241-bed teaching hospital with 55 categorical internal medicine residents.


RESULTS
Over a 4-week period, there were 194 admissions to the medical service on 18 call days preceding MR. Of these admissions, 30 (15%) were presented at MR. Cases were more likely to be presented if they were considered unusual or rare in presentation or incidence (P = .001), involved significant management issues (p = .001), or were associated with remarkable imaging studies or other visual material (p = .006). Residents were more likely to present cases in which they disagreed with attending physicians on management plans (p = .005). Overall, residents rated few admissions as having notable physical examination findings (29/194) or ethical or cost issues (6/194). Of the seven most common admitting diagnoses, representing 44% of admissions, residents did not present cases involving four of these diagnoses.


CONCLUSIONS
Residents presented cases at MR that they felt were unique or rare in presentation or incidence for purposes of discussing management issues. Complete resident freedom in choosing MR cases may narrow the scope of MR and exclude common diagnoses and other issues of import such as medical ethics or economics.
Ramratnam
B
B
Department of Medicine, Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, USA.
Kelly
G
G
Mega
A
A
Tilkemeier
P
P
Schiffman
F J
FJ
D019090:Case Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods*; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012237:Rhode Island