Abstract 083: State Of Ambulatory Hypertension Education In U.S. Internal Medicine Residency Programs: A Needs Assessment Survey

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is one of the most common chronic conditions encountered by internal medicine residents during their ambulatory training. However, little is known about the current state of hypertension education for residents. Objective: To determine internal medicine residents’ confidence and training in key hypertension topics, desire for future training, and preferred teaching methods for learning about hypertension. Methods: We developed our survey by reviewing the literature, seeking input from two content experts, and piloting questions with chief residents at our institution. From November 2021 to March 2022 we administered the survey to internal medicine residents attending scheduled didactic sessions at 14 programs in different U.S. regions. Surveys were completed online or on paper, participation was voluntary, and responses were anonymous. The survey asked residents to rate their confidence, on a 4-point Likert scale, in 19 hypertension topics, and inquired about the type of training they had received in these topics. Residents were also asked to list the top five hypertension topics they wanted to learn more about and to list their top three preferred teaching methods for future training. Results: Two-hundred eleven of 324 residents (65%) responded to the survey. Many reported lacking training (25-40%) and confidence (52-81%) in key topics (Table). Conclusions: U.S. internal medicine residents in our study report insufficient training on key aspects of hypertension management. They describe low confidence in these areas and desire to learn more about them. Further curriculum development is needed to improve residents’ hypertension knowledge.