title: Formal training in vaccine safety to address parental concerns not routinely conducted in U.S. pediatric residency programs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if U.S. pediatric residency programs provide formal training in vaccine safety to address parental vaccine concerns.
  
  
  METHODS
  An electronic survey was mailed to all members of the Association of Pediatric Program Directors (APPD) to assess (1) if U.S. pediatric residency programs were providing formal vaccine safety training, (2) the content and format of the training if provided, and (3) interest in a training module for programs without training. Two follow-up surveys were mailed at 2 week intervals. Responses to the survey were collected at 4 weeks following the last mailing and analyzed. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of program size on the likelihood of vaccine safety training. Pearson's chi square was used to compare programs with and without formal vaccine safety training in 5 U.S. regions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey was sent to 199 APPD members; 92 completed the survey (response rate 46.2%). Thirty-eight respondents (41%) had formal training in vaccine safety for pediatric residents at their programs; 54 (59%) did not. Of those that did not, the majority (81.5%) were interested in formal vaccine safety training for their residents. Of all respondents, 78% agreed that training in vaccine safety was a high priority for resident education. Thirty-five percent of all respondents agreed that local parental attitudes about vaccines influenced the likelihood of formal vaccine safety training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most pediatric residency programs surveyed do not include formal training on vaccine safety; yet, such training is supported by pediatric residency program directors as a priority for pediatric residents.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, 2200 Children's Way, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 301D Oxford House, 1313 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232, United States. Electronic address: elizabeth.williams@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: S Elizabeth
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, 2200 Children's Way, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 301D Oxford House, 1313 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37232, United States.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Swan
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines
keywords: Resident education; Resident training; Vaccine safety; Vaccines