An evaluation of pediatric residency education in conveying immunization knowledge.
BACKGROUND
The Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education now requires all pediatric residency training programs assess medical knowledge competency.


OBJECTIVE
The goal of this project was to determine whether pediatric residency training using patient-based/experiential teaching made residents competent in the area of immunization knowledge or whether additional teaching strategies might need to be developed.


METHODS
Cross-sectional and longitudinal study designs were used to determine improvement in immunization knowledge on a multiple-choice quiz over the 3 years of residency training.


RESULTS
Both the cross-sectional and longitudinal data showed a statistically significant improvement in performance between residency training Years 1 and 2 but not between Years 2 and 3 on the quiz. This statistically significant relationship by year of training was seen despite the modest reliability of the short quiz and the sample size.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that pediatric residency education using patient-based/experiential teaching is effective in teaching first year residents about immunization knowledge but is not as effective for 2nd- and 3rd-year residents. Other instructional methods such as computer-based cases could be employed during the 2nd and 3rd years.
Link
Ellen A
EA
Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. ellen-link@uiowa.edu
Kreiter
Clarence D
CD
D'Alessandro
Donna M
DM
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States