North American Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship Needs Assessment in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Trainee and Program Director Perspectives.
Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care is complex and rapidly evolving. The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America and North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition cosponsored a needs assessment survey of pediatric gastroenterology trainees and program directors (PDs) to inform on educational programming.



A Web-based, self-completed survey was provided to North American trainees and PDs during the 2013-2014 academic year. Standard descriptive statistics summarized demographics and responses.



One hundred sixty-six of 326 (51%) trainees (62% female) and 37 of 74 (50%) PDs responded. Median trainees per program = 5 and median total faculty = 10 (3 IBD experts); 15% of programs did not have a self-identified "IBD expert" faculty member. Sixty-nine percent of trainees were confident/somewhat confident in their IBD inpatient training, whereas 54% were confident/somewhat confident in their outpatient training. Trainees identified activities that would most improve their education, including didactics (55%), interaction with national experts (50%), trainee-centered IBD Web resources (42%), and increased patient exposure (42%). Trainees were most confident in managing inpatient active Crohn's disease/ulcerative colitis, phenotype classification, managing biological therapies, and using clinical disease activity indices. They were least confident in managing J-pouch complications, performing pouchoscopy, managing extraintestinal manifestations, and ostomy-related complications. Eighty-five percent would like an IBD-focused training elective. Most directors (86%) would allow trainees to do electives at other institutions.



This IBD needs assessment survey of pediatric gastroenterology trainees and PDs demonstrated a strong resource commitment to IBD training and clinical care. Areas for educational enrichment emerged, including pouch and ostomy complications.
*Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; †The Center for Innovation in Pediatric Practice, The Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; ‡Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Penn State Hershey, Hershey, Pennsylvania; §Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; ‖Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Goryeb Children's Hospital, Morristown, New Jersey.
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D000288:Administrative Personnel; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005762:Gastroenterology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires