49. Effect of a resident-as-teacher training programme on surgical resident clinical teaching skills

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the benefits of a resident-as-teacher training programme on surgical residents within a surgical clinical teaching unit. 
 A randomized controlled trial was conducted at McMaster University between July 2005 and June 2006. Twenty-eight (28) General Surgery Residents and one 134 Medical Students participated in the study. Residents were randomly assigned to participate in a two-day training course on clinical teaching skills at the 3 or 12-month interval. Medical Students completed teaching evaluations on residents whom they had significant exposure. Resident scores on teaching evaluations as well as medical student performance on rotation examinations were assessed.
 The intervention (n=14) and control (n=14) groups were at similar levels of training. Only 5 intervention and 9 control residents had both pre and post intervention evaluations. Evaluations were measured on a 1 to 5 Likert scale. Data was analyzed by intention-to-treat. The mean evaluation score in both control and intervention groups were higher than pre-intervention (8% and 14%, p=0.03). However, the magnitude of change between the 2 groups was not statistically significant. Medical student performance by those exposed to more intervention residents was not significantly different from those exposed to more control residents. 
 There is a significant improvement in resident teaching over an academic year, as determined by medical student evaluations of the resident-teachers. Although there was a trend of improved teaching with the teaching- skills intervention, the difference was not statistically significant, and did not affect medical student performance on the end-of rotation examinations.
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