title: Comparing the outcomes of different postgraduate year training programs in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postgraduate year training programs play an important role in the development of a comprehensive medical education. The goal of these training programs is to inculcate in physicians the expected level of skill in patient care. After the initiation of such programs in the USA, Europe, and Japan, studies were conducted in Taiwan to investigate relevant training methods, and a training system was established in 2003. Beginning with 3-month programs, followed by 6-month programs, the programs were constantly modified and enhanced by the establishment of the 1-year training program in 2011. This year was the transition period from the 6-month programs to the 1-year programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a 50-item multiple choice question (MCQ) test and six 10-min stations for objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), which was composed of four stations relating to standardized patients and two stations concerning the clinical skill evaluation, to evaluate the learning results of the trainees. The trainees were divided into four groups according to the training program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between the performance of the 6 months and 1-year groups. The p values were 0.424 in the MCQ test and 0.082 in the OSCE evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A well-designed postgraduate training program should develop trainees' competencies. The results of this study may provide useful insight for ways to improve the design of training programs. Further investigation to better understand the impact of different programs is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Peng-Wei
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Chest Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ren-Huei
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jing-Long
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mei-Chen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: ns3096@adm.cgmh.org.tw.
authors.forename: Shih-Tseng
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D006801:Humans; D013624:Taiwan
keywords: Checklist; Multiple choice question; Objective structured clinical examination; Postgraduate training; Standardized patient