A questionnaire for quality control in postgraduate medical education in Switzerland

Abstract

Background To ensure high qualification standards in medical institutions, a questionnaire has been developed to evaluate the postgraduate medical education in Switzerland. Aim This article describes the development and longitudinal analysis of a questionnaire using eight scales to assess the quality of postgraduate medical education. Method The questionnaire has been administered to all residents every year since 2003. In 2020, 8,745 residents returned the questionnaire, resulting in a response rate of 70%. In addition, a survey is conducted annually among the directors of medical institutions. Results We present results of the directors’ survey and the resident evaluation from 2020, as well as longitudinal data over 16 years. The mean values of the eight scales remained stable or increased slightly over the years. The decision-making culture scale is generally rated best by the residents, while the evidence-based medicine scale is rated as the least good. The most important drivers of residents’ satisfaction with a training site are the work environment and leadership culture scales. The directors perceive the evaluation to be fair and useful. Conclusions The questionnaire represents a reliable and useful tool for the quality control in postgraduate medical training. It provides yearly feedback to the directors regarding how the residents perceive their training giving insights for improvments.