Colorectal cancer screening education, prioritization, and self-perceived preparedness among primary care residents: data from a national survey.
BACKGROUND
Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening remains underutilized in the United States. We conducted a national survey of CRC screening education, prioritization, and self-perceived preparedness among resident physicians in Family Practice (FP), Internal Medicine (IM), and Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) training programs.


METHODS
Directors/administrators from 1085 FP, IM, and OB/GYN training programs were contacted by e-mail with a request to forward an invitation to participate in our Web-based CRC screening education survey to all residents in their program. Willing residents submitted responses in anonymous fashion. Data were analyzed using chi2 tests and analysis of variance methods.


RESULTS
In total, 243 program directors/administrators forwarded our invitation, and 835 residents responded (384 FP, 266 IM, 177 OB/GYN, 8 undesignated specialty). Nearly all resident responders (89%) had received CRC screening education, but few content delivery methods were reported. Most felt at least somewhat comfortable or somewhat knowledgeable with respect to advising patients about CRC screening (90%), currently endorsed CRC screening guidelines (89%), and criteria used to identify familial CRC syndromes (50%). However, substantially fewer respondents reported feeling very comfortable or very knowledgeable in these areas (45%, 23%, and 5%, respectively). Program specialty, level of training, and gender were the strongest indicators of self-perceived preparedness.


CONCLUSIONS
Although based on a relatively small sample of all FP, IM, and OB/GYN residents, these data suggest tangible opportunities to improve the CRC screening curriculum in primary care residency programs.
Oxentenko
Amy S
AS
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA.
Goel
Nisheeth K
NK
Pardi
Darrell S
DS
Vierkant
Robert A
RA
Petersen
Wesley O
WO
Kolars
Joseph C
JC
Flinchbaugh
Robert T
RT
Wilson
Timothy O
TO
Sharpe
Katherine
K
Bond
John H
JH
Smith
Robert A
RA
Levin
Bernard
B
Pope
J Bart
JB
Schroy
Paul C
PC
Limburg
Paul J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003479:Curriculum; D003625:Data Collection; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010465:Perception; D011320:Primary Health Care; D014481:United States