A national fundamentals curriculum for neurosurgery PGY1 residents: the 2010 Society of Neurological Surgeons boot camp courses.
BACKGROUND
In July 2009, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) incorporated postgraduate year 1 (PGY1 intern) level training into all U.S. neurosurgery residency programs.


OBJECTIVE
To provide a fundamentals curriculum for all incoming neurosurgery PGY1 residents in ACGME-accredited programs, including skills, knowledge, and attitudes that promote quality, patient safety, and professionalism.


METHODS
The Society of Neurological Surgeons organized 6 regional "boot camp" courses for incoming neurosurgery PGY1 residents in July 2010 that consisted of 9 lectures on clinical and nonclinical competencies plus 10 procedural and 6 surgical skills stations. Resident and faculty participants were surveyed to assess knowledge and course effectiveness.


RESULTS
A total of 186 of 197 U.S. neurosurgical PGY1 residents (94%) and 75 neurosurgical faculty from 36 of 99 programs (36%) participated in the inaugural boot camp courses. All residents and 83% of faculty participants completed course surveys. All resident and faculty respondents thought that the boot camp courses fulfilled their purpose and objectives and imparted skills and knowledge that would improve patient care. PGY1 residents' knowledge of information taught in the courses improved significantly in postcourse testing (P < .0001). Residents and faculty particularly valued simulated and other hands-on skills training.


CONCLUSIONS
Regional organization facilitated an unprecedented degree of participation in a national fundamental skills program for entering neurosurgery residents. One hundred percent of resident and faculty respondents positively reviewed the courses. The boot camp courses may provide a model for enhanced learning, professionalism, and safety at the inception of training in other procedural specialties.
Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA. seldenn@ohsu.edu
Nathan R
NR
Selden
Thomas C
TC
Origitano
Kim J
KJ
Burchiel
Christopher C
CC
Getch
Valerie C
VC
Anderson
Shirley
S
McCartney
Saleem I
SI
Abdulrauf
Daniel L
DL
Barrow
Bruce L
BL
Ehni
M Sean
MS
Grady
Costas G
CG
Hadjipanayis
Carl B
CB
Heilman
A John
AJ
Popp
Raymond
R
Sawaya
James M
JM
Schuster
Julian K
JK
Wu
Nicholas M
NM
Barbaro
D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000193:education*