title: Teaching for the Transition: the Canadian PGY-1 Neurosurgery 'Rookie Camp'.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transitioning from medical school to residency is difficult and stressful, necessitating innovation in easing this transition. In response, a Canadian neurosurgical Rookie Camp was designed and implemented to foster acquisition of technical, cognitive and behavioral skills among incoming Canadian post graduate year one (PGY-1) neurosurgery residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  The inaugural Rookie Camp was held in July 2012 in Halifax. The curriculum was developed based on a national needs-assessment and consisted of a pre-course manual, 7 case-based stations, 4 procedural skills stations and 2 group discussions. The content was clinically focused, used a variety of teaching methods, and addressed multiple CanMEDS competencies. Evaluation included participant and faculty surveys and a pre-course, post-course, and 3-month retention knowledge test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  17 of 23 PGY-1 Canadian neurosurgical residents participated in the Camp. All agreed the course content was relevant for PGY-1 training and the experience prepared them for residency. All participants would recommend the course to future neurosurgical residents. A statistically significant improvement was observed in knowledge related to course content (F(2,32) = 7.572, p<0.002). There were no significant differences between post-test and retention-test scores at three months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The inaugural Canadian Neurosurgery Rookie Camp for PGY-1 residents was successfully delivered, with engagement from participants, training programs, the Canadian Neurosurgical Society, and the Royal College. In addition to providing fundamental knowledge, which was shown to be retained, the course eased junior residents' transition to residency by fostering camaraderie and socialization within the specialty.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences,Western University,London.
authors.forename: Faizal A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Haji
authors.affiliation: 2Division of Neurosurgery,Dalhousie University,Halifax,Nova Scotia.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: 3Faculty of Medicine,Dalhousie University,Halifax,Nova Scotia.
authors.forename: Marie C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Matte
authors.affiliation: 2Division of Neurosurgery,Dalhousie University,Halifax,Nova Scotia.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Brandman
authors.affiliation: 5Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada,Ottawa,Ontario.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brien
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences,Western University,London.
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Ribaupierre
authors.affiliation: 6Division of Neurosurgery,University of Alberta,Edmonton,Alberta.
authors.forename: Cian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Kelly
authors.affiliation: 2Division of Neurosurgery,Dalhousie University,Halifax,Nova Scotia.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Christie
authors.affiliation: 7Section of Neurosurgery,University of Manitoba;Winnepeg,Manitoba.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.affiliation: 4Division of Neurosurgery,University of Toronto,Toronto.
authors.forename: Abhaya V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.affiliation: 2Division of Neurosurgery,Dalhousie University,Halifax,Nova Scotia.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walling
authors.affiliation: 3Faculty of Medicine,Dalhousie University,Halifax,Nova Scotia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: MacLeod
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D007721:Knowledge of Results, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000193:education*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
keywords: transition to residency