title: Elective rotations and their impact on resident and faculty decision making.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Restrictions on resident-duty work hours have led to fewer opportunities to participate in elective rotations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential impact of elective rotations on resident and faculty physicians using allergy/immunology (A/I) as a model.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was sent to 375 primary care physicians. It assessed demographic information, training background, A/I-referral history and intentions, and perceived knowledge of A/I-specific issues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 228 surveys were returned. Resident physicians who were more senior in their training or who had taken an A/I rotation were more likely to have referred a patient to A/I in the past, more likely to refer a patient to A/I for chronic sinusitis, and more likely to report a greater knowledge of A/I topics. Faculty physicians with a history of an A/I rotation were more likely to feel knowledgeable about A/I topics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elective rotations are positively correlated with perceived knowledge, referral intentions, and past history of referrals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy/Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48201, USA. abaptist@med.wayne.edu
authors.forename: Alan P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Baptist
authors.forename: Tricia S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Linping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Baldwin
mesh_terms: D000486:Allergy and Immunology / Q000193:education; D003625:Data Collection; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008297:Male; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D014481:United States