P095: Do resident as teacher programs increase emergency medicine residents comfort level with teaching junior learners?

Abstract

Introduction: At academic hospitals, it is a residents responsibility to teach junior learners. Residents endorse that there is limited education on how to effectively teach junior learners, and suggest a more formal curriculum on how to teach would be beneficial. Emergency Medicine (EM) residencies in North America may have a resident as teacher (RAT) curriculum, however, no Canadian EM study has characterized the impact of a RAT curriculum on residents. Our educational concept was to implement a formalized RAT workshop for residents in an EM residency. We assessed residents attitudes and comfort levels towards teaching in response to the curriculum. Methods: A formal RAT curriculum, provided at a single center in a 6-hour session, was provided for both Royal College and College of Family Physician EM residents. Residents completed a survey evaluating attitudes and behaviours regarding their ability to teach and give feedback as part of their roles as teachers, consistent with Kirkpatricks second level of program evaluation. The surveys were administered pre-workshop, immediately post-workshop, and at 3 and 6 months following the RAT workshop. Results: Residents were surveyed in terms of their attitudes towards teaching on a 5-point likert scale. Our educational concept was delivered through a 6-hour workshop with emphasis on practical teaching skills that residents could incorporate into their practice. Lecture topics included orientation of the learner, giving effective feedback, teaching within a short time frame, as well as an introduction to theory of learning. Lectures were geared to be interactive, and included breakout sessions and group discussions. 21 residents participated in the workshop. Of 18 pre-survey respondents, 89.8% (n=16) had no previous formal training in how to teach, yet 72.21% (n=13) ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’ have a learner on shift with them. There were 15 post survey respondents. 53.33% (n=8) respondents somewhat agreed or agreed they were more likely to teach in response to the workshop, and 56.25% (n=8) responded that they somewhat agreed or agreed they were more comfortable with teaching while in the Emergency Department in an immediate post workshop survey. Conclusion: After a formal RAT curriculum, residents reported that they had increased comfort and were more likely to teach junior learners. Although small and single-centered, our study will help provide a basis for larger RAT studies, evaluating the effect on both residents and junior learners.