Living in the country and studying in the city. The art of passing exams and remaining sane.
BACKGROUND
Doctors working in smaller centres have fewer resources available to help them pass the specialist examination components of their training.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the delivery of a teaching programme that helps paediatricians in training in both peripheral and regional centres in New Zealand (NZ) to successfully prepare for their specialist written examinations.


METHODS
The teaching programme was initially developed for paediatricians in training in Auckland and then developed into a national teaching resource. Real-time visual and auditory communication among the various teaching sites was established by the NZ Telepaediatric Service. The sessions were also available for subsequent review, initially as a DVD recording or via a Telepaediatric service videoconferencing unit and, since 2007, as a webcast.


RESULTS
In association with the development of this teaching programme, the percentage pass rate for the paediatric specialist examinations has increased significantly for those exam candidates that access the teaching sessions remotely from other NZ centres (60% vs. 82%, chi(1)(2) = 4.28, P = 0.04). Between 80 and 90% of NZ candidates now pass the examination. In comparison, the pass rate for Australian candidates sitting the identical examination remains between 60 and 70%.


CONCLUSIONS
Telepaediatrics has enabled interactive sessions to be conducted with students in peripheral and the other regional centres as well as those attending in person in Auckland. Its development has enabled examination pass rates in smaller centres to increase.
Grant
Cameron C
CC
Department of Paediatrics, Child and Youth Health, The University of Auckland, Aukland, New Zealand. cc.grant@auckland.ac.nz
Pinnock
Ralph
R
Asher
M Innes
MI
Sullivan
Michael James
MJ
D020375:Education, Distance; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D010820:Physicians; D016730:Program Development; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D017216:Telemedicine; D049269:Videoconferencing; D000078329:Workforce