Postgraduate Medical Education Programs Research Articles

Strengthening education and training programmes for medical physics in Asia and the Pacific: the IAEA non-agreement technical cooperation (TC) regional RAS6088 project.

This article documents the work conducted in implementing the IAEA non-agreement TC regional RAS6088 project "Strengthening Education and Training Programmes for Medical Physics". Necessary information on the project was collected from the project counterparts via emails for a period of one month, starting from 21st September 2023, and verified at the Final Regional Coordination Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand from 30th October 2023 to 3rd November 2023. Sixty-three participants were trained in 5 Regional Training Courses (RTCs), with 48%, 32% and 20% in radiation therapy, diagnostic radiology, and nuclear medicine, respectively. One RTC was successfully organised to introduce molecular biology as an academic module to participants. Three participating Member States, namely United Arab Emirates (UAE), Nepal and Afghanistan have initiated processes to start the postgraduate master medical physics education programmes by coursework, adopting the IAEA TCS56 Guidelines. UAE has succeeded in completing the process while Nepal and Afghanistan have yet to initiate the programme. The postgraduate master medical physics programmes by coursework were strengthened in Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Syria, and Thailand, along with the national registration of medical physicists. In particular, Thailand has revised 6 postgraduate master medical physics programmes by coursework during the tenure of this project. Home Based Assignment and RTCs have resulted in two publications. In conclusion, the RAS6088 project was found to have achieved its planned outcomes despite challenges faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is proposed that a follow up project be implemented to increase the number of Member States who are better prepared to improve medical physics education and training in the region.

Effects of Mandatory Residencies on Female Physicians’ Specialty Choices: Evidence from Japan's New Medical Residency Program

Female physicians remain underrepresented in surgical specialties in Japan. The 2004 New Postgraduate Medical Education Program mandated a two-year rotating residency that allowed residents to choose their specialty after training in multiple fields, including surgery. Following this reform, there was a 2.7 percentage points increase in female physicians choosing general surgery and a 1.5 percentage points increase in urology being chosen, compared to male physicians, as well as a 3.4 percentage points decrease in internal medicine being chosen. This shift of female physicians toward male-dominated surgical specialties is primarily seen in breast surgery, catering to female patients, and in urology, known for its shorter workweeks.

A Journey of Innovation: 40years of Pioneering Medical Education at the Aga Khan University Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan.

This article presents an overview of Aga Khan University's (AKU) pioneering medical education initiatives over the past 40years, exploring its impact on healthcare in the region and its commitment to advancing medical education and research in the developing world. Established in 1983 as the first private university in Pakistan, AKU has evolved into a global institution with a focus on improving healthcare standards and addressing healthcare needs in the developing world. The article also discusses the undergraduate and postgraduate medical education programs at AKU Medical College, Pakistan, highlighting their unique features and pioneering approaches to medical education. The institution's journey highlights its ability to adapt to the evolving healthcare landscape while maintaining a focus on quality and excellence, offering a model for other institutions striving to meet healthcare needs in low- and middle-income countries.

Exploring the ‘January effect’ at a university hospital in Pakistan: a retrospective cohort study investigating the impact of trainee turnover on patient care quality outcomes

ObjectiveThere are reports of a potential rise in a teaching hospital’s morbidity and mortality rates during the trainee turnover period, i.e., with the induction of new residents and house staffs, and the changeover of clinical teams. The published literature displays mixed reports on this topic with lack of reproducible observations. The current study was conducted to explore existence of any such phenomenon (January effect) in Pakistan.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Five-year (2013–2018) record of all the patients in all age groups related to these outcomes was retrieved and recorded in specifically designed questionnaire. Different outcome measures were used as indicators of patient care and change in these outcomes at the time of new induction was related to possible January effect.ResultsDuring the five-year study period, more than 1100 new trainees were inducted into the post graduate medical education program (average of 237 per year) with more than 22,000 inpatient admissions (average of 45,469 per year). Some patterns were observed in frequencies of surgical site infections, medication errors, sentinel events, patient complaints, and adverse drug reactions. However, these were not consistently reproducible and could not be directly attributed to the trainee turnover. All other indicators did not show any pattern and were considered inconclusive. No effect of overlap was observed.ConclusionsInconsistency in the patient care quality indicators do not favor existence of January effect in our study. Further research is recommended to establish our results.

Process evaluation of paediatric fellowship training programs at a University Hospital in Pakistan

BackgroundFellowship programs offer training in a subspecialty focusing on distinct and advanced clinical/academic skills. This advanced postgraduate training allows physicians, who desire a more specialized practice, to further develop clinical, academic, research, and leadership/administrative skills. The Aga Khan University (AKU) is one of the few institutes offering paediatric sub-specialty training in Pakistan. We aimed to evaluate the current Paediatric fellowship programs at AKU.MethodsProcess evaluation of six paediatric fellowship programs (cardiology, neurology, endocrinology, critical care medicine, neonatology, and infectious disease) was conducted from September 2020 to April 2021 by senior clinicians and medical educationists. Evidence was collected through document review (using existing postgraduate medical education program information form), observation of teaching and learning support, and focused group discussions/interviews with program faculty and fellows were conducted. A review of the evaluation report was done as part of this study. This study received an exemption from the ethical review committee. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS (22.0) while the reports of discussion with fellows and friends underwent content analysis.ResultsAll fellowship programs met the criteria for having a robust competency-based fellowship curriculum as per the institutional and national guidelines. Formative assessment in the form of continuous evaluation was found to be integrated into all the fellowship programs, however, most of the programs were found to lack a summative assessment plan. Fellows in training and program faculty were satisfied with the opportunities for mentorship, teaching, and learning. Thematic analysis of the discussion reports with faculty and fellows revealed three key themes including, program aspects translating into strengthening the training, gaps in the training program in delivering the expectations, and making ways to reach par excellence.ConclusionsThe process evaluation of paediatric fellowship programs provided an opportunity to holistically review the current strengths and quality of the training in individual programs along with the unmet needs of the trainees. This will help the program stakeholders to prioritize, align and allocate the resources to further enhance the quality of training and outcome of individual fellowship programs to ensure wider impacts at a regional, national, and international health system level.

Point-of-Care Ultrasonography in Internal Medicine: Limitations and Pitfalls for Novice Users.

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly being adopted in the field of internal medicine, leading to the development of POCUS curricula in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education programs. Prominent internal medicine societies and organizations worldwide recognize the expanding utilization of POCUS by internal medicine physicians, emphasizing the need for practitioners to be aware of both its benefits and limitations. Despite the growing enthusiasm for POCUS, clinicians, particularly those with limited clinical experience, must be cautious regarding its inherent limitations and the potential impact on their clinical practice. This review aims to outline the limitations and potential drawbacks of POCUS for medical students, residents, and internists who wish to stay abreast of the escalating use of POCUS in internal medicine and have a desire, or have already commenced, to incorporate POCUS into their practice. Additionally, it provides recommendations for enhancing POCUS proficiency to mitigate these limitations.

Consistency and quality in written accreditation protocols for pediatrician training programs: a mixed-methods analysis of a global sample, and directions for improvement

BackgroundThe World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) defines accreditation as 'certification of the suitability of medical education programs, and of…competence…in the delivery of medical education.' Accreditation bodies function at national, regional and global levels. In 2015, WFME published quality standards for accreditation of postgraduate medical education (PGME). We compared accreditation of pediatric PGME programs to these standards to understand variability in accreditation and areas for improvement.MethodsWe examined 19 accreditation protocols representing all country income levels and world regions. For each, two raters assessed 36 WFME-defined accreditation sub-areas as present, partially present, or absent. When rating “partially present” or “absent”, raters noted the rationale for the rating. Using an inductive approach, authors qualitatively analyzed notes, generating themes in reasons for divergence from the benchmark.ResultsA median of 56% (IQR 43–77%) of WFME sub-areas were present in individual protocols; 22% (IQR 15–39%) were partially present; and 8.3% (IQR 5.5–21%) were absent. Inter-rater agreement was 74% (SD 11%). Sub-areas least addressed included number of trainees, educational expertise, and performance of qualified doctors. Qualitative themes of divergence included (1) variation in protocols related to heterogeneity in program structure; (2) limited engagement with stakeholders, especially regarding educational outcomes and community/health system needs; (3) a trainee-centered approach, including equity considerations, was not universal; and (4) less emphasis on quality of education, particularly faculty development in teaching.ConclusionsHeterogeneity in accreditation can be appropriate, considering cultural or regulatory context. However, we identified broadly applicable areas for improvement: ensuring equitable access to training, taking a trainee-centered approach, emphasizing quality of teaching, and ensuring diverse stakeholder feedback.

Does it work? Resident selection and implicit bias training for postgraduate program directors.

One element to address health disparities and historical injustices of systemically excluded groups is to examine selection processes. Implicit association testing for selection committees is suggested as one intervention to address bias in selection and is used for Undergraduate Medical Education at the University of Manitoba. Our study demonstrated that implicit bias training for PDs in isolation has minimal impact on addressing bias within resident selection. This training must occur as part of a systemic institutional approach to address bias in resident selection. Programs should consider a multipronged and sustained approach when committing to diversifying postgraduate medical education programs.

Blueprinting and auditing a postgraduate medical education programme – Lessons from COVID-19

Introduction: Disruptions of the postgraduate (PG) teaching programmes by COVID-19 have encouraged a transition to virtual methods of content delivery. This provided an impetus to evaluate the coverage of key learning goals by a pre-existing PG didactic programme in an Obstetrics and Gynaecology Specialty Training Programme. We describe a three-phase audit methodology that was developed for this Methods: We performed a retrospective audit of the PG programme conducted by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at National University Hospital, Singapore between January and December 2019 utilising a ten-step Training Needs Analysis (TNA). Content of each session was reviewed and mapped against components of the 15 core Knowledge Areas (KA) of the Royal College of Obstetrics & Gynaecology membership (MRCOG) examination syllabus. Results: Out of 71 PG sessions, there was a 64.9% coverage of the MRCOG syllabus. Four out of the 15 KAs were inadequately covered, achieving less than 50% of knowledge requirements. More procedural KAs such as “Gynaecological Problems” and those related to labour were poorly (less than 30%) covered. Following the audit, these identified gaps were addressed with targeted strategies. Conclusion: Our audit demonstrated that our pre-pandemic PG programme poorly covered core educational objectives i.e. the MRCOG syllabus, and required a systematic realignment. The COVID-19 pandemic, while disruptive to our PG programme, created an opportunity to analyse our training needs and revamp our virtual PG programme.

In search of a modern character of a doctor: what examples to learn from the greats? Part I

At present, additional courses are increasingly being introduced into the postgraduate medical education program, which contain discussions on the personal qualities of a doctor and the functions of the medical profession. To that end, certain moral and ethical reference points are selected from the biographies of physicians of the "past", which are elevated to an ideal and repeated in every biographical article without proper professional evaluation. There is a mythologization of the image of a doctor among the professional community and the reason for this trend, in part, lies in the false idea that the history of medicine can be written without specialized knowledge and without the tools that historians use when analyzing biographical information.The article provides a general overview of the development of medical knowledge, which was influenced not only by political and economic, but also by religious factors. A specialized approach used by historians in the analysis of biographical information is considered. A different view is offered on the potential of interpreting the image of a doctor, evaluating the activities of physicians of the past and forming examples for doctors of the future that would be in demand in modern professional education.

Characterizing the Variety of Call Structures Across Canadian Diagnostic Radiology Postgraduate Medical Education Programs.

Characterizing the Variety of Call Structures Across Canadian Diagnostic Radiology Postgraduate Medical Education Programs.

Competencies for Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Postgraduate Medical Education: Expert Consensus Using a Modified Delphi Process.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is recommended in Canadian guidelines as a first-line treatment for major depressive disorder. With the shift towards competency-based medical education, it remains unclear how to determine when a resident is considered competent in applying knowledge of rTMS to patient care. Given inconsistencies between postgraduate training programmes with regards to training requirements, defining competencies will improve the standard of care in rTMS delivery. The goal of this study was to develop competencies for rTMS that can be implemented into a competency-based training curriculum in postgraduate training programmes. A working group drafted competencies for postgraduate psychiatry trainees. Fourteen rTMS experts from across Canada were invited to participate in the modified Delphi process. Ten experts participated in all three rounds of the modified Delphi process. A total of 20 items reached a consensus. There was improvement in the Cronbach's alpha over the rounds of modified Delphi process (Cronbach's alpha increased from 0.554 to 0.824) suggesting improvement in internal consistency. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) increased from 0.543 to 0.805 suggesting improved interrater agreement. This modified Delphi process resulted in expert consensus on competencies to be acquired during postgraduate medical education programmes where a learner is training to become competent as a consultant and/or practitioner in rTMS treatment. This is a field that still requires development, and it is expected that as more evidence emerges the competencies will be further refined. These results will help the development of other curricula in interventional psychiatry.

Impact of pharmacogenomics in achieving personalized/precision medicine in the clinical setting: a symposium report.

The Indo-Swiss symposium on pharmacogenomic strategies for the implementation of personalized medicine was conducted as part of the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research Integrated Pharmacogenomics Program in Puducherry, India, on 19November2022. The symposium was conducted in hybrid mode. The theme of symposium was the impact ofpharmacogenomics on the achievement of personalized medicine/precision medicine in the clinical setting. The symposium sought to promote interaction among the participants to initiate future collaborative research projects. The symposium also served as a platform for young researchers to present their research findings as posters to the audience.

Knowledge and Perceptions of Competency-Based Medical Education in Diagnostic Radiology Post-Graduate Medical Education: Identifying Priorities and Developing a Framework for Professional Development Activities.

Introduction: We evaluated knowledge and perceptions of an established Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) model developed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Competence by Design (CBD), and identified evidence-informed priorities for professional development activities (PDAs). Materials and Methods: Teaching faculty and residents at a single, large diagnostic radiology post-graduate medical education (PGME) program were eligible to participate in this cross-sectional, survey-based study. Knowledge of CBD was evaluated through multiple choice questions (MCQs), which assessed participants' understanding of major principles and terms associated with CBD. Participants' perceptions of the anticipated impact of CBD on resident education and patient care were evaluated and priorities for PDAs were identified, which informed a framework for CBD PDAs. Results: Fifty faculty and residents participated. The faculty and resident response rates were 11.6% (n = 29/249) and 55.3% (n = 21/38), respectively. The mean ± standard deviation overall score on MCQs was 39.0% ± 20.4%. The majority of participants perceived the impact of CBD on resident education to be equivocal and to not impact patient care. Knowledge of CBD was not statistically significantly associated with participants' perceptions of the impact of CBD on either resident education or patient care (P > .05). Delivery of high-quality feedback was the greatest priority identified for PDAs. Discussion: Our results and proposed CBD PDAs framework may help to guide diagnostic radiology PGME programs in designing evidence-informed PDAs, which may meaningfully contribute to the successful implementation of CBD in diagnostic radiology PGME. As diagnostic radiology PGME programs throughout the world increasingly implement CBME models, evidence-informed PDAs will become of increasing importance.

Insight from a novel humanities-based education intervention to teach empathy to internal medicine residents locally

The medical humanities have the potential to develop empathy in junior doctors through perspective taking and critique of deep-seated beliefs. An education intervention to develop empathy was integrated into an internal medicine residency curriculum in Singapore. All junior residents currently in the programme were invited to participate in individual interviews after the humanities sessions. Data collected was analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis. A total of three sessions were conducted over one year from April 2020. Two participants were recruited successfully for the study. A total of 4 interviews were completed and themes relating to the role of the humanities in empathy education, barriers to its implementation, and cynicism to the sessions were elicited. The results provided insight about how residents experienced a novel humanities-based postgraduate medical education program. However, the low recruitment is a major limitation in this study and data collected may not be confidently interpreted. There is still significant work needed to create greater awareness about the role of the humanities in medical education and research. Improvement in the pandemic situation may also improve participation in future studies.

Longitudinal training models for entrusting students with independent patient care?: A systematic review.

ObjectiveThe participation of students from both undergraduate medical education (UGME) and postgraduate medical education (PGME) in independent patient care contributes to the development of knowledge, skills and the professional identity of students. A continuing collaboration between students and their preceptor might contribute to opportunities for students to independently provide patient care. In this systematic review, we aim to evaluate whether longitudinal training models facilitate the independent practice of students and what characteristics of longitudinal training models contribute to this process.MethodThis systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. In May 2020, we performed a search in three databases. Articles evaluating the impact of longitudinal training models on the independent practice of students from both UGME and PGME programmes were eligible for the study. A total of 68 articles were included in the study. Quality of the included studies was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs (QATSDD).ResultsBoth UGME and PGME students in longitudinal training models are more frequently allowed to provide patient care independently when compared with their block model peers, and they also feel better prepared for independent practice at the end of their training programme. Several factors related to longitudinal training models stimulate opportunities for students to work independently. The most important factors in this process are the longitudinal relationships with preceptors and with the health care team.ConclusionDue to the ongoing collaboration between students and their preceptor, they develop an intensive and supportive mutual relationship, allowing for the development of a safe learning environment. As a result, the professional development of students is fostered, and students gradually become part of the health care team, allowing them the opportunity to engage in independent patient care.

Resident evaluations in the age of competency-based medical education: faculty perspectives on minimizing burdens.

Competency-based medical education (CBME), an outcomes-based approach to medical education, continues to be implemented across many postgraduate medical education programs worldwide, including a recent introduction into Canadian neurosurgical training programs (July 2019). The success of this educational paradigm shift requires frequent faculty observation and evaluation of residents performing defined tasks of the specialty. A main challenge involves providing residents with frequent performance evaluations and feedback that are feasible for faculty to complete. This study aims to define what is currently happening and what changes are needed to make CBME successful for the certification of neurosurgeons' competence. A 55-item questionnaire was emailed nationwide to survey Canadian neurosurgical faculty. Fifty-two complete responses were received and achieved a distribution highly correlated with the number of faculty neurosurgeons practicing in each Canadian province (Pearson's r = 0.94). Two-thirds (35/52) of faculty reported currently taking a median of 10 minutes to complete evaluation forms at the end of a resident's rotation block. Regardless of the faculty's province of practice (p = 0.50) or years of experience (p = 0.06), they reported 3 minutes (minimum 1 minute, maximum 10 minutes, interquartile range [IQR] 3 minutes) as a feasible amount of time to spend completing an evaluation form following an observation of a resident's performance of an entrustable professional activity (EPA). If evaluation forms took 3 minutes to complete, 85% of respondents (44/52) would complete EPA evaluations weekly or daily. The faculty recommended 5 minutes as a feasible amount of time to provide oral feedback (minimum 1 minute, maximum 20 minutes, IQR 3.25 minutes), which was significantly higher (p = 0.00099) than their recommended amount of time for completing evaluation forms. The majority of faculty (71%) stated they would prefer to access resident evaluation forms through a mobile application compared to a paper form (12%), an evaluation website (8%), or through a URL link sent via email (10%; p = 0.0032). To facilitate the successful implementation of CBME into a neurosurgical training curriculum, resident EPA assessment forms should take 3 minutes or less to complete and be accessible through a mobile application.

To Assess Competency in Interpretation of Cardiac Arrhythmias among Emergency Medical Professionals in Pune, India

Introduction: The annual number of deaths from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in India is projected to rise from 2.26 over the past several decades and have ranged from 1.6% to 7.4% in rural populations and from 1% to 13.2% in urban populations.
 Electrocardiography (ECG) is a non-invasive tool which is extensively used to understand and analyze a patient’s cardiac condition. It provides information about cardiac condition and helps in diagnosing acute coronary syndromes and cardiac arrhythmias. Emergency Medical Professionals (EMP’s) handle numerous cases of medical as well as trauma emergencies daily and are the first responders prior to hospitalization and the only reliable resource to help in revival of the patient. As it is of high priority, to give the upmost necessary care to the patients, being able to interpret and honing the skills to interpret ECG is of utmost importance and necessary.
 Despite its immense clinical value, there continues to be a lack of a comprehensive ECG interpretation curriculum in medical education programs. The goal should be to encourage the development of organized curriculum in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education programs, and to ensure the acquisition of level-appropriate ECG interpretation skills while maintaining patient safety.
 Objective: To assess competency in interpretation of cardiac arrhythmias among Emergency Medical Professionals
 Study Design: 
 Place of Study: Symbiosis Centre for Health Skills (SCHS), Pune India in May 2021.
 Methodology: The present study was conducted in May 2021, amongst 200 Emergency Medical Professionals (EMPs) employed in various hospitals in the city of Pune, India. American Heart Association (AHA) – Pre-course Self-Assessment questions were utilized for the study to assess ECG interpretation competency among Emergency Medical Professionals.
 Conclusion: The present study highlights the poor ECG competence amongst EMP’s. and is limited by its small sample size and interpretation of only three kinds of cardiac rhythms. Yet the study offers, insight on the current gaps in competence and offers simple solutions to improve the scenario.

Feasibility, and validity aspects of Entrustable Professional Activity (EPA)-based assessment in general practice training

ABSTRACT Introduction Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are developed to support the practical application of competency frameworks in postgraduate medical education (PGME) programmes. EPAs are used for the assessment of the trainees’ competence development, which takes place by means of an entrustment decision, aiming to stimulate learning and independent practice in trainees. In this pilot study, we explore the feasibility and validity of EPA-based assessment in a General Practice (GP) training programme. Methods We used questionnaires to evaluate trainers’ and trainees’ experiences with the use of six EPAs for trainee learning, assessment and independent practice at the Out-of-Hours GP Center. Data were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. Additionally, we examined the inter-item correlation between scores on EPA-based assessment and competency-based assessment using Spearman’s Rho. Results EPA-based assessment provided opportunities for giving concrete feedback and substantiating competency-based assessment. No consistent correlation between EPA-based assessment and competency-based assessment could be detected. Only later in the course of the training programme a correlation was found between the EPA scores and the degree of independence of trainees. Discussion Results of this pilot study confirm the theories behind EPAs, as well as earlier research on EPAs in the workplace regarding trainee learning, assessment and independent practice. An important limitation of this study was the COVID-19 pandemic, as it influenced the results through reduced inclusion and follow-up, and through the impact on the workplace and trainee learning possibilities. Further research is needed to determine how EPAs support independent practice of trainees, as well as the assessment of trainee competency development.

ICRE Abstracts: Quality Improvement

ICRE Abstracts: Quality Improvement