Expanding resident conferences while tailoring them to level of training: a longitudinal study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of changing a 1-hour weekly all-resident didactic conference to an expanded 4-hour bimonthly level-specific didactic conference.


METHODS
Prospective outcome measures included an anonymous 10-item perceptions survey administered at 4 time points (preintervention, 6 months postintervention, 1 year postintervention, and 2 years postintervention), mean attendance rates preintervention and postintervention, and mean ABSITE scores preintervention and postintervention.


METHODS
Large university-based surgical residency.


METHODS
Surgical residents (R1-R5, n = 75) were divided into junior (R1-R3, n = 56) and senior (R4-R5, n = 19) groups. Each group attended a session every other Wednesday.


RESULTS
Significant improvements were observed in overall resident satisfaction (55% vs 80%, p < 0.005) and level-specific appropriateness of content (81% vs 94%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, resident attendance rates were improved substantially (33% vs 55%, p < 0.001). ABSITE scores were not affected significantly by the change in curriculum structure.


CONCLUSIONS
An expanded, bimonthly level-specific didactic curriculum is more effective than a shorter, weekly all-resident conference as evidenced by resident attitudes and attendance. Additional benefits of the alternating schedule include a reduced number of residents in each conference and the availability of residents for clinical educational activities (eg, operative cases or clinic). Expanded educational time has allowed the introduction of nontraditional topics that include leadership, communication, practice management, professionalism, and technical skills training.
Farrohki
Ellen T
ET
Department of Surgery, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195-6419, USA.
Jensen
Aaron R
AR
Brock
Douglas M
DM
Cole
Jana K
JK
Mann
Gary N
GN
Pellegrini
Carlos A
CA
Horvath
Karen D
KD
D003226:Congresses as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003479:Curriculum; D003625:Data Collection; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D013997:Time Factors