Abstract

BackgroundThe development of self-assessment and self-directed learning skills is essential to lifelong learning and becoming an effective physician. Pediatric residents in the United States are now required to use Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) to document self-assessment and self-directed learning. A better understanding of resident and faculty attitudes and skills about self-assessment and self-directed learning will allow more successful integration of lifelong learning into residency education. The objective of this study was to compare faculty and resident attitudes, knowledge and skills about self-assessment, self-directed learning and ILPs.MethodsSurvey of pediatric residents and faculty at a single institution. Respondents rated their attitudes, knowledge, and self-perceived skills surrounding self-assessment, self-directed learning and ILPs.ResultsOverall survey response rate was 81% (79/97); 100% (36/36) residents and 70% (43/61) faculty. Residents and faculty agreed that lifelong learning is a necessary part of being a physician. Both groups were comfortable with assessing their own strengths and weaknesses and developing specific goals to improve their own performance. However, residents were less likely than faculty to continuously assess their own performance (44% vs. 81%; p < 0.001) or continuously direct their own learning (53% vs. 86%; p < 0.001). Residents were more likely than faculty to believe that residents should be primarily responsible for directing their own learning (64% vs. 19%; p < 0.0001), but at the same time, more residents believed that assigned clinical (31% vs. 0%; p < 0.0001) or curricular (31% vs. 0%; p < 0.0001) experiences were sufficient to make them competent physicians. Interns were less likely than senior residents to have a good understanding of how to assess their own skills (8% vs. 58%; p = 0.004) or what it means to be a self-directed learner (50% vs. 83%; p = 0.04).Qualitative comments indicated that while ILPs have the potential to help learners develop individualized, goal-directed learning plans based on strengths and weaknesses, successful implementation will require dedicated time and resident and faculty development.ConclusionThese findings suggest that training and experience are necessary for physicians to understand the role of self-directed learning in education. Deliberate practice, for example by requiring residents to use ILPs, may facilitate self-directed, lifelong learning.

Highlights

  • The development of self-assessment and self-directed learning skills is essential to lifelong learning and becoming an effective physician

  • In 2002, the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, the American College of Physicians Foundation, and the European Federation of Internal Medicine published a physician charter defining medical professionalism for the new millennium, which included the statement that "physicians must be committed to lifelong learning"[2,3]

  • We found that residents and faculty agreed that lifelong learning is necessary to being an effective physician

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Summary

Introduction

The development of self-assessment and self-directed learning skills is essential to lifelong learning and becoming an effective physician. In 2002, the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, the American College of Physicians Foundation, and the European Federation of Internal Medicine published a physician charter defining medical professionalism for the new millennium, which included the statement that "physicians must be committed to lifelong learning"[2,3]. This charter was endorsed by over 120 national and international organizations across the world and was translated into 10 languages[4,5]. In the United States, the Review Committee for pediatrics of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires all training programs to use Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) to document resident self-assessment and self-directed learning as part of the practicebased learning and improvement competency[9]

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