title: Needs and priorities in women's health training: perspectives from an internal medicine residency program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have examined residents' perspectives on the adequacy of women's health (WH) training in internal medicine (IM). This study sought residents' opinions regarding comfort level managing 13 core WH topics, their perceived adequacy of training in these areas, and the frequency with which they managed each topic. The association between reported comfort level and perceived adequacy of training and management frequency was also assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 67-item questionnaire was administered from April to June 2009 to 100 (64%) of the 156 residents from the traditional, primary care, and IM-pediatrics residency programs at a single institution. Descriptive and correlation statistics were used to examine the relationships between self-reported comfort level, perceived adequacy of training opportunities, and frequency managing WH issues. Data was stratified by sex, IM program, and post-graduate year (PGY).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of residents reported low comfort levels managing 7 of 13 topics. Over half of residents perceived limited training opportunities for 11 of 13 topics. With the exception of cardiovascular disease in women, greater than 75% of residents reported managing the 13 topics five or more times in the prior 6 months. Correlation analysis suggested a linear relationship between low comfort levels and limited training opportunities, and between low comfort levels and low frequency managing WH topics (r=0.97 and r=0.89, respectively). Stratified analyses by sex, IM program, and PGY showed no significant differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Key gaps remain in WH training. Our results emphasize the importance of reinforcing WH training with hands-on management opportunities. Understanding institution-specific strengths and weaknesses may help guide the development of targeted initiatives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8031, USA. evelyn.hsieh@yale.edu
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nunez-Smith
authors.forename: Janet B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Henrich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009511:New England; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health / Q000193:education*
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