Call subject patterns among on-call clinical pathology residents in an academic institution: how can tracking changes in patterns over time benefit resident education?
BACKGROUND
On-call responsibility is an important part of residency training in clinical pathology. This task provides important consultative services for the hospital and serves as a valuable learning experience for the resident.


OBJECTIVE
To identify the types of calls received by residents at a large teaching hospital, to assess how and why these calls have changed over time, and to determine the educational value in tracking such changes.


METHODS
A retrospective review of resident on-call records from 2 periods (2005-2006 and 1997-1998) was performed. Calls were classified based on the call subject and the caller.


RESULTS
Although some general patterns remained similar, several differences were identified between the time periods. Calls regarding mislabeled specimens fell, while calls concerning panic values and the blood bank (specifically therapeutic apheresis) increased.


CONCLUSIONS
The different patterns identified in calls between the 2 periods reflect the ever-changing role of the clinical pathologist within the hospital system and provide evidence that monitoring these shifting patterns could be a valuable tool in the education of clinical pathology residents.
Do
Marie C
MC
Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, VA 23298, USA. mdo@mcvh-vcu.edu
Ben-Ezra
Jonathan
J
McPherson
Richard A
RA
D001771:Blood Banks; D001781:Blood Component Removal; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards; D013677:Medical Laboratory Science; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000193:education*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013048:Specimen Handling; D000078329:Workforce