title: Practical training for postgraduate year 1 surgery residents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgical interns accept significant patient care responsibilities with minimal orientation. We have developed a multifaceted training program for incoming surgical interns in which learning in a simulated environment plays a key role. The purpose of this study was to evaluate resident perceptions of simulated clinical calls as an educational modality and to measure the effect on self-ratings of confidence.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multidisciplinary team compiled 15 clinical scenarios. Simulated nurse-to-resident clinical call sessions were held on 3 separate days. Daily course evaluation surveys and identical precourse and postcourse confidence surveys were completed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The resident confidence measure increased significantly postcourse (6.73 versus 8.35, P <0.03). The evaluation survey score averaged 4.35 out of 5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simulated clinical call sessions were well received and resulted in a significant increase in resident confidence levels. Based on this modality's apparent efficacy and ease of implementation, we offer it as a useful educational tool for incoming postgraduate year-1 surgical residents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Simulation Development and Cognitive Science Laboratory, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Gorman
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Verne
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Culina-Gula
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Haluck
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Krummel
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000145:classification; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007858:Learning; D009726:Nurses; D005791:Patient Care; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012649:Self Concept; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D014163:Transfer, Psychology