Internal Medicine Residency Program Research Articles

A multi-method approach to drafting candidate entrustable professional activities for a general internal medicine residency programme.

Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are units of concrete daily clinical tasks that trainee physicians should be able to handle with increasing autonomy during their postgraduate training. EPAs are gaining international recognition as an essential component of competency-based medical training programmes. The process of developing EPAs for a nationwide training programme is complex and requires an in-depth understanding of EPAs as a concept and good knowledge of appropriate development processes. This article provides a detailed description of the methodology and results of a multi-step approach for developing a list of candidate EPAs for Switzerland's postgraduate training programme in general internal medicine (GIM). We took a multi-step approach including a systematic review of international literature, four national focus groups, a national consensus process using a RAND appropriateness method, and a quality check of the selected candidate EPAs using EQual criteria. These steps generated a final list of 247 candidate EPAs in general internal medicine that were submitted for the national consensus process. After two rounds of rating, experts agreed on the appropriateness for general internal medicine postgraduate training of 225 candidate EPAs. Twenty-two were deemed inappropriate, and disagreement persisted only for two EPAs. This multi-step programme is one of the few describing in detail the process of developing a list of EPAs and providing evidence of validity at each step. The clinical breadth of our candidate EPAs, together with the detailed description of our methodology, could serve as a useful starting point from which medical education specialists or clinicians could develop or revise applicable lists of EPAs, particularly for postgraduate training programmes in either general internal medicine or family medicine.

Implementation of a "Health Equity Rounds" Curriculum in a Military Internal Medicine Residency Program: A Pilot Study.

Health disparities in the Military Health System (MHS) have been consistently documented despite the system ensuring equal access to care for its beneficiaries. Research has shown that social, economic, and political factors (i.e., Social Determinants of Health) and health care-specific factors like provider bias and systemic discrimination are key drivers of health disparities in the general population. Medical education focused on introducing these concepts using case-based learning has led to effective learning of health equity terminology. However, a significant gap exists in identifying optimal teaching approaches to develop skills to recognize these factors in actual clinical cases. This begs the million-dollar question: can case-based learning help trainees acquire the skills needed to identify the main factors contributing to health disparities in the MHS? A longitudinal case-based curriculum was developed in which clinical cases from the Internal Medicine Wards, Medical Intensive Care Unit, or General Internal Medicine Clinic at the National Capital Consortium were solicited from trainees and analyzed for evidence of health care provider bias and systemic forms of discrimination using small groups. The National Capital Consortium Internal Medicine Residency Program implemented this pilot study in November 2021. A retrospective pretest-posttest survey assessing trainee reactions to the curriculum and changes in self-reported confidence in skills was used for curriculum assessment. Survey data were analyzed using a paired samples t-test. The survey was administered during the last session of the 2022-2023 academic year, with 14 of the 23 available trainees completing it: a 60.8% response rate. Overall, 93% reported that the cases selected that academic year were engaging; the skills they were taught were practice-changing, and the educational value of the curriculum was good, very good, or excellent. Confidence ratings, assessed via a 5-point Likert Scale, demonstrated a statistically significant increase in self-reported confidence in the following skill domains with large effect sizes: identification of bias and systemic discrimination in clinical cases-change in mean: 1.07 (Pre: 3.29, Post: 4.36), P < .001, g = 1.38; recognizing and mitigating personal biases-change in mean: 0.71 (Pre: 3.50, Post: 4.21), P <.001, g = 1.10; participating in a discussion about health care provider bias and systemic discrimination-change in mean: 0.79 (Pre: 3.57, Post: 4.36), P = .001, g = 1.06; and leading a discussion about bias and systemic discrimination-change in mean: 1.00 (Pre: 2.93, Post: 3.93), P = .002, g = 0.98. As the need to address health disparities in the United States becomes more pressing, so does the need for military physicians to recognize the drivers of these disparities within the MHS. Results from this pilot study of Health Equity Rounds suggest that case-based learning may be an optimal teaching approach to improve the skills of military Internal Medicine trainees in identifying and recognizing the impact of health care provider bias and systemic discrimination on clinical cases from the MHS.

How Are We Teaching Advocacy? A National Survey of Internal Medicine Residency Program Directors.

Although internal medicine (IM) physicians accept publicadvocacy as a professional responsibility, there is little evidence that IM training programs teach advocacy skills. The prevalence and characteristics of publicadvocacy curricula in US IM residency programs are unknown. To describe the prevalence and characteristics of curricula in US IM residencies addressing public advocacy for communities and populations; to describe barriers to the provision of such curricula. Nationally representative, web-based, cross-sectional survey of IM residency program directors with membership in an academic professional association. A total of 276 IM residency program directors (61%) responded between August and December 2022. Percentage of US IM residency programs that teach advocacy curricula; characteristics of advocacy curricula; perceptions of barriers to teaching advocacy. More than half of respondents reported that their programs offer no advocacy curricula (148/276, 53.6%). Ninety-five programs (95/276, 34.4%) reported required advocacy curricula; 33 programs (33/276, 12%) provided curricula as elective only. The content, structure, and teaching methods of advocacy curricula in IM programs were heterogeneous; experiential learning in required curricula was low (23/95, 24.2%) compared to that in elective curricula (51/65, 78.5%). The most highly reported barriers to implementing or improving upon advocacy curricula (multiple responses allowed) were lack of faculty expertise in advocacy (200/276, 72%), inadequate faculty time (190/276, 69%), and limited curricular flexibility (148/276,54%). Over half of US IM residency programs offer no formal training in public advocacy skills and many reported lack of faculty expertise in public advocacy as a barrier. These findings suggest many IM residents are not taught how to advocate for communities and populations. Further, less than one-quarter of required curricula in public advocacy involves experiential learning.

A multi-residency elective to address well-being as a systems issue

What was the educational challenge? Burnout is a well-established issue in medical training, but optimal systems approaches for well-being and ways to engage residents in well-being work are unknown. What was the solution? The authors developed a multi-residency well-being elective with participants from internal medicine, anesthesiology, and urology residency programs. The elective included an asynchronous learning curriculum, a mentored independent project on system drivers of well-being, and participation in a cross-residency group that set elective priorities. How was the solution implemented? The authors worked with each residency’s leadership to protect time for participation. Concepts from Quality Improvement were used to structure the elective. Project work and resident participation were assessed continually to monitor engagement. What lessons were learned that are relevant to a wider global audience? Projects led to short- and long-term changes to support well-being in residency programs. Creating opportunities for residents from different specialties to discuss well-being work allowed ideas to spread across residencies. Protecting time to work on well-being issues may enhance a culture of well-being by demonstrating commitment to well-being as a priority equivalent to other educational endeavors. What are next steps? Further research is needed to assess the impact on resident participants and to understand how to optimally incorporate resident interventions into broader organizational strategies for well-being.

Resident Burnout, Wellness, Professional Development, and Engagement Before and After New Training Schedule Implementation

Burnout is a work-related syndrome of depersonalization (DP), emotional exhaustion (EE), and low personal achievement (PA) that is prevalent among internal medicine resident trainees. Prior interventions have had modest effects on resident burnout. The association of a new 4 + 4 block schedule (4 inpatient weeks plus 4 outpatient weeks) with resident burnout has not previously been evaluated. To evaluate the association of a 4 + 4 block schedule, compared with a 4 + 1 schedule, with burnout, wellness, and self-reported professional engagement and clinical preparedness among resident physicians. This nonrandomized preintervention and postintervention survey study was conducted in a single academic-based internal medicine residency program from June 2019 to June 2021. The study included residents in the categorical, hospitalist, and primary care tracks in postgraduate years 1 and 2 (PGY1 and PGY2). Data analysis was conducted from October to December 2022. In the 4 + 4 structure, resident schedules alternated between 4-week inpatient call-based rotations and 4-week ambulatory non-call-based rotations. The primary outcome was burnout, assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory subcategories of EE (range, 0-54), DP (range, 0-30), and PA (range, 0-48), adjusted for sex and PGY. Secondary outcomes included In-Training Examination (ITE) scores and a questionnaire on professional, educational, and health outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the primary outcome, 1-way analysis of variance was used to compare ITE percentiles, and a Bonferroni-adjusted Kruskal Wallis test was used for the remaining secondary outcomes. The findings were reexamined with several sensitivity analyses, and Cohen's D was used to estimate standardized mean differences (SMDs). Of the 313 eligible residents, 216 completed the surveys. A total of 107 respondents (49.5%) were women and 109 (50.5%) were men; 119 (55.1%) were PGY1 residents. The survey response rates were 78.0% (85 of 109) in the preintervention cohort and 60.6% (63 of 104) and 68.0% (68 of 100) in the 2 postintervention cohorts. The PGY1 residents had higher response rates than the PGY2 residents (119 of 152 [78.2%] vs 97 of 161 [60.2%]; P < .001). Adjusted EE scores (mean difference [MD], -6.78 [95% CI, -9.24 to -4.32]) and adjusted DP scores (MD, -3.81 [95% CI, -5.29 to -2.34]) were lower in the combined postintervention cohort. The change in PA scores was not statistically significant (MD, 1.4 [95% CI, -0.49 to 3.29]). Of the 15 items exploring professional, educational, and health outcomes, a large positive association was observed for 11 items (SMDs >1.0). No statistically significant change in ITE percentile ranks was noted. In this survey study of internal medicine resident physicians, a positive association was observed between a 4 + 4 block training schedule and internal medicine resident burnout scores and improved self-reported professional, educational, and health outcomes. These results suggest that specific 4 + 4 block combinations may better improve resident burnout than a 4 + 1 combination used previously.

Making assessment a team sport: a qualitative study of facilitated group feedback in internal medicine residency.

Competency-based medical education relies on feedback from workplace-based assessment (WBA) to direct learning. Unfortunately, WBAs often lack rich narrative feedback and show bias towards Medical Expert aspects of care. Building on research examining interactive assessment approaches, the Queen's University Internal Medicine residency program introduced a facilitated, team-based assessment initiative ("Feedback Fridays") in July 2017, aimed at improving holistic assessment of resident performance on the inpatient medicine teaching units. In this study, we aim to explore how Feedback Fridays contributed to formative assessment of Internal Medicine residents within our current model of competency-based training. A total of 53 residents participated in facilitated, biweekly group assessment sessions during the 2017 and 2018 academic year. Each session was a 30-minute facilitated assessment discussion done with one inpatient team, which included medical students, residents, and their supervising attending. Feedback from the discussion was collected, summarized, and documented in narrative form in electronic WBA forms by the program's assessment officer for the residents. For research purposes, verbatim transcripts of feedback sessions were analyzed thematically. The researchers identified four major themes for feedback: communication, intra- and inter-personal awareness, leadership and teamwork, and learning opportunities. Although feedback related to a broad range of activities, it showed strong emphasis on competencies within the intrinsic CanMEDS roles. Additionally, a clear formative focus in the feedback was another important finding. The introduction of facilitated team-based assessment in the Queen's Internal Medicine program filled an important gap in WBA by providing learners with detailed feedback across all CanMEDS roles and by providing constructive recommendations for identified areas for improvement.

A patient follow-up intervention to improve medical decision making at an internal medicine residency program.

Practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) is an ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) core competency. Learning and reflecting on patients through follow-up is one method to help achieve this competency. We therefore designed a study evaluating a structured patient follow-up intervention for senior internal medicine (IM) residents at the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH). Trainees completed structured reflections after performing chart review of prior patients during protected educational time. Two-month follow-up surveys evaluated the exercise's potential influence on clinical and reflective practices. Forty out of 108 (37 %) eligible residents participated in the exercise. Despite 62.5 % of participants lacking specific questions about patient outcomes before chart review, 81.2 % found the exercise at least moderately helpful. 48.4 % of participants believed that the review would change their practice, and 60.9 % felt it reinforced their existing clinical practices. In our qualitative data, residents learned lessons related to challenging clinical decisions, improving transitions of care, the significance of early goals of care conversations, and diagnostic errors/strategies. Our results indicate that IM residents found a structured patient follow-up intervention educational, even when they lacked specific patient outcomes questions. Our results underscore the importance of structured self-reflection in the continuous learning process of trainees and suggest the benefit of dedicated educational time for this process.

Prevalence of Women in Medicine Programs at University-Based Internal Medicine Residency Programs.

Women physicians face various forms of inequities during their training process that inhibit them from reaching their full potential. As a response, several academic institutions have established women in medicine (WIM) programs as a support system. Our objective was to investigate the prevalence of WIM programs at university-based Internal Medicine residency programs as of December 2021. Using the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database, we identified 145 university-based Internal Medicine residency programs. Four independent reviewers reviewed the programs' Web sites, looking for evidence of a WIM program using a standardized checklist of search terms to evaluate and categorize their programs. Categories included whether the program was specific to graduate medical trainees, departments of medicine, or institution-wide. The proportions of programs that had a WIM program, a trainee-specific WIM program, and a Department of Medicine-specific WIM program were then analyzed. Of the 145 programs searched, 58 (40%) had a WIM program. Only 16 (11%) were specific to trainees (11 for only medicine trainees and 5 included trainees graduate medical education-wide). The remaining 42 programs targeted faculty and trainees (5 included only the Department of Medicine and 37 included departments university-wide). Few university-affiliated Internal Medicine residency programs have a WIM program specific to trainees. Given the gender inequity and evidence that supports early development of leadership skills and support networks, our findings highlight a possible gap in the residency training program infrastructure.

Implementation and Evaluation of a Pilot Narrative Medicine Curriculum for Internal Medicine Residents.

Background Narrative medicine has been integrated into medical training to enhance competencies such as observation, reflection, and self-care. However, few studies have assessed the impact of a single narrative medicine session using a pre- and post-test study design. The authors of this study sought to implement a pilot narrative medicine curriculum into a large internal medicine residency program and to evaluate its feasibility and impact. Methodology The curriculum consisted of a one-hour reading and writing workshop held during ambulatory academic half-days from 2021 to 2022. Resident participants completed a retrospective pre- and post-workshop survey evaluatingtheir interest and confidence in practicing narrative medicine skills, as well as their beliefs about theimpacts of narrative medicine on patient care and provider well-being. Descriptive statistics evaluated pre- and post-workshop differences using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on postgraduate year, residency track, and workshop setting. Additionally, participants completed open-ended questions that were analyzed qualitatively. Results Of 218 resident participants, 152 (69.7%) completed the post-session survey. Participants noted significantly higher levels of confidence and interest in listening to patient stories, analyzing literary texts, and engaging in reflective writing after the workshop. They also expressed significantly higher levels of agreement that engaging in literary analysis and reflective writing could improve patient care, reduce provider burnout, and strengthen connectedness with colleagues. Qualitative analysis demonstrated that participants found the sessions to be worthwhile and appreciated how narrative medicine could enhance their medical practice. Conclusions Incorporating a brief narrative medicine curriculum into an internal medicine residency program is both feasible and valuable. A single narrative medicine session was practical and well-received by residents, as it promoted self-reflection, observational skills, and connection with colleagues. Future workshops should be customized for different training levels and residency tracks, and additional studies should evaluate whether the outcomespersist over time.

Analysis of narrative assessments of internal medicine resident performance: are there differences associated with gender or race and ethnicity?

BackgroundEquitable assessment is critical in competency-based medical education. This study explores differences in key characteristics of qualitative assessments (i.e., narrative comments or assessment feedback) of internal medicine postgraduate resident performance associated with gender and race and ethnicity.MethodsAnalysis of narrative comments included in faculty assessments of resident performance from six internal medicine residency programs was conducted. Content analysis was used to assess two key characteristics of comments- valence (overall positive or negative orientation) and specificity (detailed nature and actionability of comment) – via a blinded, multi-analyst approach. Differences in comment valence and specificity with gender and race and ethnicity were assessed using multilevel regression, controlling for multiple covariates including quantitative competency ratings.ResultsData included 3,383 evaluations with narrative comments by 597 faculty of 698 residents, including 45% of comments about women residents and 13.2% about residents who identified with race and ethnicities underrepresented in medicine. Most comments were moderately specific and positive. Comments about women residents were more positive (estimate 0.06, p 0.045) but less specific (estimate − 0.07, p 0.002) compared to men. Women residents were more likely to receive non-specific, weakly specific or no comments (adjusted OR 1.29, p 0.012) and less likely to receive highly specific comments (adjusted OR 0.71, p 0.003) or comments with specific examples of things done well or areas for growth (adjusted OR 0.74, p 0.003) than men. Gendered differences in comment specificity and valence were most notable early in training. Comment specificity and valence did not differ with resident race and ethnicity (specificity: estimate 0.03, p 0.32; valence: estimate − 0.05, p 0.26) or faculty gender (specificity: estimate 0.06, p 0.15; valence: estimate 0.02 p 0.54).ConclusionThere were significant differences in the specificity and valence of qualitative assessments associated with resident gender with women receiving more praising but less specific and actionable comments. This suggests a lost opportunity for well-rounded assessment feedback to the disadvantage of women.

Finding the right combination for self-directed learning: A focus group study of residents' choice and use of digital resources to support their learning.

There has been a shift in postgraduate medical education towards digital educational resources-podcasts, videos, social media and other formats consumed asynchronously and apart from formal curricula. It is unclear what drives residents to select and use these resources. Understanding how and why residents choose digital resources can aid programme directors, faculty and residents in optimising residents' informal learning time. This focus group study was conducted with residents at two US internal medicine residency programmes. The authors used the framework approach to content analysis using self-determination theory as guide for deductive coding and iteratively assessing connections among codes and identifying themes. Trustworthiness was addressed through use of analytic memos, reflexive practice and member checking. The authors conducted eight virtual focus groups (n = 23) from 5/27/20 to 6/11/20. Residents described that a feeling of 'should know' drove initial choices towards self-directed learning outside of work. Regular use of a resource was influenced by how the resource fit into a resident's lifestyle, the personal cognitive energy and the perceived 'activation energy' of using a particular resource. Familiarity, increased confidence and in-person social networks gained from digital resources served to reinforce and further guide resource choice. The selection of digital resources for self-directed learning is driven by multiple factors, suggesting an interdependent relationship between the learning environment and a residents' cognitive capacity. Understanding these interconnections can help residents and clinical educators explicitly choose resources that fit their lifestyle and learning needs.

Outcomes of the Internal Medicine Supplemental Application: Preliminary Data on the 2022-2023 Match.

Preference signaling (program signals and geographic preference divisions) was introduced as a component of the supplemental application forinternal medicine applicants applying to programs within the United States (USA) during the 2021-22 cycle. These signals wereintended to address application inflation by allowing applicants to express interest in and increase their likelihood of receiving interviews from their top programs. There is little published data, however, to describe the impact of preference signaling on the likelihood of receiving interviews from a program. This study thus sought to analyze, in a small subset of US applicants, whether preference signals were associated with a higher likelihood of obtaining a residency interview. A survey was distributed in March 2023 to US MD seniors from the four allopathic medical schools in North Carolina who applied to categorical internal medicine residency programs during the 2022-23 application cycle. The survey was developed by the research team to provide respondents with the opportunity to report data from the electronic residency application service (ERAS) application and provide data on interviews received, actions taken throughout the application season, and outcomes of the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) using a combination of free response and multiple choice questions. Forty-seven out of a total of 85 contacted (55%) applicants completed some or all of the survey. Of those who completed the entirety of the survey, 39 (82.98%) completed the supplemental portion of the application and the available preference signaling. Applicants in this study were 2.95 (Odds ratio, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.20 - 3.97, p<0.01) times as likely to receive an interview invitation from a program if they used a program signal. Applicants were 1.75 (odds ratio, 95% CI 1.38 - 2.21, p<0.01) times as likely to receive an interview invitation from a program in an indicated geographic preference division. Forty-seven percent (95% CI 31 - 64%) matched to a program they had sent a program signal to, and 97% (95% CI 78 - 100%) matched to a program in an indicated geographic preference division. The program signals and geographic preference division components of the supplemental application increased the likelihood of receiving an interview invitation but did not have a clear impact on match outcomes. Further research with larger sample sizes will be necessary to determine how these signals actually modify the outcomes of the NRMP.

The Impact of Completing X-Waiver Training and Clinical Addiction Exposure on Internal Medicine Residents Treating Patients With Opioid Use Disorder.

Treating opioid use disorder (OUD) with buprenorphine or methadone significantly reduces overdose and all-cause mortality. Prior studies demonstrate that clinicians and residents reported a lack of preparedness to diagnose or treat OUD. Little is known about how clinical exposure or buprenorphine X-waiver training impacts OUD care delivery by resident physicians. Distinguish the effects of X-waiver training and clinical exposure with OUD on resident's knowledge, attitudes, feelings of preparedness, and practices related to OUD treatment provision. From August 2021 to April 2022, we distributed a cross-sectional survey to internal medicine residents at a large academic training program. We analyzed associations between self-reported clinical exposure and X-waiver training across 4 domains: knowledge about best practices for OUD treatment, attitudes about patients with OUD, preparedness to treat OUD, and clinical experience with OUD. Of the 188 residents surveyed, 91 responded (48%). A majority of respondents had not completed X-waiver training (60%, n = 55) while many had provided clinical care to patients with OUD (65%, n = 59). Most residents had favorable attitudes about OUD treatment (97%). Both residents with clinical exposure to treating OUD and X-waiver training, and residents with clinical exposure without X-waiver training, felt more prepared to treat OUD (P < .0008) compared to residents with neither clinical exposure or X-waiver training or only X-waiver training. Residents with clinical exposure to treating OUD are more prepared to treat patients with OUD than those without clinical exposure. Greater efforts to incorporate clinical exposure to the treatment of OUD and education in internal medicine residency programs is imperative to address the opioid epidemic.

Perceptions of Adult Obesity Education: A Pilot Study.

This pilot research study, conducted at a large academic healthcare facility, used mixed methodology to (1) administer a survey to a group of primary care trainees and faculty and (2) conduct key informant interviews with the program directors, or their delegates of these primary care training programs, so as to gain insight into respondents' perceptions about their training on adult obesity. To maintain confidentiality of the key informants, they were defined as "Administrators." Faculty and trainees were from family medicine and internal medicine residency programs, as well as family nurse practitioner and physician assistant training programs. This study used a quantitative survey and four qualitative key informant (Administrator) interviews. Descriptive statistics, χ2, or Fisher exact tests were used to analyze select survey responses. Administrator interviews were analyzed with thematic analysis. Survey respondents (n = 75) included primary care trainees (n=34), faculty (n=30), other (n=2), did not answer (n=9). Surveys indicated that additional training is needed for bariatric surgery, weight loss medications, and clinical nutrition. The three highest ranked topics in the surveys on adult obesity were basic nutrition, behavioral weight management, and a rotation on adult obesity. Most agreed on the need for interprofessional collaboration, a centralized obesity treatment center, and an introductory obesity course. Key themes from the four Administrator interviews revealed the need: for more training; to build upon current curriculum; use innovative technology; fiscal challenges; and time management. Both faculty and trainees perceive that academic and clinical training on adult obesity is inadequate, and that trainees need more education on such topics as nutrition, physical activity, behavioral health, antiobesity medications, and bariatric surgery. Competency to treat varied by topic. It also showed that more interprofessional collaboration and a centralized obesity treatment center are needed. Recommendations included integrating modular units about obesity into already established primary care training programs and providing additional resources.

Resident Perceptions of Simulcast Teaching: A Qualitative Study.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical education programs were challenged to optimize learning while balancing social interaction with exposure risk. In response, our internal medicine (IM) residency program transitioned to "simulcast" educational sessions. In simulcast sessions, multiple small groups of learners met in person in separate rooms and connected to the large-group session via videoconferencing. This qualitative study describes IM residents' perceptions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of learning in simulcast compared to virtual and in-person settings during the pandemic. Categorical IM residents at Penn State during the academic year 2020-2021 were invited to participate. Eligible residents participated in one 30-min virtual, semistructured focus group. We used inductive thematic coding to analyze resident responses. Forty-eight percent (n = 29/60) of invited residents participated in focus groups. In the simulcast setting, participants felt more accountability to participate in their small groups compared to a larger group or virtual setting. Educational experiences varied based upon facilitator skill level. Overall, in-person settings were preferred to virtual, when possible, due to increased social connection. Respondents identified educator enthusiasm and presentation quality as key to engagement regardless of setting. Residents had variable responses to the simulcast setting based upon their comfort with participation by group size, desire for social connection, and perception of teaching strategies. The key identified pitfalls to simulcast teaching were resident discomfort in small groups, heterogeneous learning experience, lack of engagement, and technology challenges. These pitfalls can be mitigated through strategic distribution of learners in groups, trained facilitators, and interactive teaching modalities. Given that simulcast and mixed (simulcast, virtual, and in-person) teaching settings are here to stay postpandemic, anticipating pitfalls and creating adaptable educational content that translates in multiple settings is crucial.

The House Cup: Using Longitudinal Gamification to Improve Didactic Attendance.

Determine if a point-based attendance system combined with longitudinal gamification is feasible and improves didactic session attendance and learner perceptions at our internal medicine residency. A prospective before-after cohort study. Weekly attendance was tracked from June 2022 through April 2023 at our university-affiliated internal medicine residency program. We implemented a point-based longitudinal game incentivizing residents to attend didactics with positive reinforcement in July 2022 (C: carrot). We added tiered positive reinforcement and positive punishment to the game in January 2023 (CS: carrot and stick). Attendance during these periods was compared to pre (P) and postintervention (S). Perceptions were assessed during the P, C, and CS periods with Likert scale ratings. CS was associated with higher attendance than other study periods (P = .002). Median attendance was P-51% (IQR 37.5-64.5), C-65% (IQR 50-74), CS-81% (IQR 78-94), and S-66% (IQR 63-71). Perceptions were similar during pre and intervention study periods, including perceptions of camaraderie (P-4.4, C-4.4, CS-4.5; P = .56), interest in attending didactic sessions (P-3.7, C-3.4, CS-3.2; P = .21), and mandate as the primary reason for attending didactics (P-3.1, C-3.1, CS-3.2; P = .96). A point-based attendance system combined with a longitudinal game that included tiered positive reinforcement and positive punishment was feasible and associated with higher didactic attendance but not associated with changes in resident perceptions.

Exploring gender and thematic differences in qualitative assessments of internal medicine resident performance

IntroductionEvidence suggests gender disparities in medical education assessment, including differences in ratings of competency and narrative comments provided in resident performance assessments. This study explores how gender manifests within the content of qualitative assessments (i.e., narrative comments or performance feedback) of resident performance.MethodsQualitative content analysis was used to explore gender-based differences in narrative comments included in faculty assessments of resident performance during inpatient medicine rotations at six Internal Medicine residency programs, 2016–2017. A blinded, multi-analyst approach was employed to identify themes across comments. Patterns in themes with resident gender and post-graduate year (PGY) were explored, focusing on PGY2 and PGY3 when residents are serving in the team leader role.ResultsData included 3,383 evaluations with narrative comments of 385 men (55.2%) and 313 women residents (44.8%). There were thematic differences in narrative comments received by men and women residents and how these themes manifested within comments changed with training time. Compared to men, comments about women had a persistent relationship-orientation and emphasized confidence over training including as interns and in PGY2 and PGY3, when serving as team leader. The relationship-orientation was characterized not only by the residents’ communal attributes but also their interpersonal and communication skills, including efforts supporting others and establishing the tone for the team. Comments about women residents often highlighted confidence, including recommendations around behaviors that convey confidence in decision-making and team leadership.DiscussionThere were gender-based thematic differences in qualitative assessments. Comments about women resident team leaders highlight relationship building skills and urge confidence and actions that convey confidence as team leader. Persistent attention to communal skills suggests gendered expectations for women resident team leaders and a lost opportunity for well-rounded feedback to the disadvantage of women residents. These findings may inform interventions to promote equitable assessment, such as providing feedback across the competencies.

An internal medicine residency preparatory curriculum for fourth-year medical students.

Intern preparation courses are often broad in scope; there are few published specialty-specific programs outside of General Surgery and Obstetrics. We designed an internal medicine (IM) residency preparatory course at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, which aimed to prepare graduating medical students for the rigours of IM residency training, mapped to Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs). Fourteen fourth-year medical students who were matriculating into IM residency programs enrolled in a 4-week long residency preparation course. The course was designed to teach skills using case-based learning modules, specialty topic seminars, simulation laboratories, procedure laboratories and clinical practice. Participants were surveyed before and after the course on their perceived knowledge and ability with the skills tested. With the exception of 'giving signout to a colleague', there was a significant difference in the participant's perceived ability for each skill taught within the course (P< 0.03 for each), with mean pre-course scores of 1.4-3.7 (SD=0.5-1.2) and mean post-course scores of 3.2-4.2 (SD=0.5-1.3). A second survey on course evaluation and perceived impact, completed 3months after starting intern year, resulted in all respondents reporting that the information learned during the course had directly affected their care of patients on a daily or weekly basis. The modified Ottawa scale was the primary assessment means for the EPAs, with participants approaching entrustment at the conclusion of the course. Implementation of an IM-specific residency preparation course is a useful adjunct in the fourth year of medical school.

Management of the Electronic Health Record Inbox: Results From a National Survey of Internal Medicine Program Directors.

Background Internal medicine (IM) resident physicians spend a considerable amount of time managing their inbox as part of their longitudinal continuity clinic experience. There are no standardized guidelines for how programs should train, monitor, or supervise residents in this type of patient care. Objective To understand how IM residency programs educate, monitor, and supervise resident electronic health record (EHR) inbox management as part of their longitudinal continuity clinic and determine whether patient safety events have occurred due to EHR inbox-related patient care decisions made by unsupervised resident physicians. Methods In August 2021, 439 program directors at accredited US IM residency programs who were members of the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (APDIM) were asked 12 questions developed by the study authors and APDIM survey committee members regarding resident EHR inbox management as part of the annual APDIM survey. Results Two hundred and sixty-seven (61%) PDs responded. The majority (224 of 267, 84%) of programs provided guidelines for expected message response times; less than half (115, 43%) monitored timeliness metrics. Only half (135; 51%) of programs required faculty supervision of inbox messages for all residents; 28% (76) did not require supervision for any residents. Twenty-one percent of PDs (56) reported awareness of a patient safety event occurring due to an unsupervised resident inbox-related patient care decision. Conclusions Substantial variability exists in how IM residency programs train, monitor, supervise, and provide coverage for resident inbox work. Program directors are aware of patient safety events resulting from unsupervised resident inbox management.

Teaching and Assessing Bedside Procedures: A Standardized Cross-Disciplinary Framework for Graduate Medical Education.

Performing bedside procedures requires knowledge, reasoning, physical adeptness, and self-confidence; however, no consensus on a specific, comprehensive strategy for bedside procedure training and implementation is available. Bedside procedure training and credentialing processes across large institutions may vary among departments and specialties, leading to variable standards, creating an environment that lacks consistent accountability, and making quality improvement difficult. In this Scholarly Perspective, the authors describe a standardized bedside procedure training and certification process for graduate medical education with a common, institution-wide educational framework for teaching and assessing the following 7 important bedside procedures: paracentesis; thoracentesis; central venous catheterization; arterial catheterization; bladder catheterization or Foley catheterization; lumbar puncture; and nasogastric, orogastric, and nasoenteric tube placement. The proposed framework is a 4-stage process that includes 1 preparatory learning stage with simulation practice for knowledge acquisition and 3 clinical stages to guide learners from low-risk to high-risk practice and from high to low supervision. The pilot rollout took place at Henry Ford Hospital from December 2020 to July 2021 for 165 residents in the emergency medicine and/or internal medicine residency programs. The program was fully implemented institution-wide in July 2021. Assessment strategies encompass critical action checklists to confirm procedural understanding and a global rating scale to measure performance quality. A major aim of the bedside procedure training and certification was to standardize assessments so that physician trainers from multiple specialties could train, assess, and supervise any participating trainee, regardless of discipline. The authors list considerations revealed from the pilot rollout regarding electronic tracking systems and several benefits and implementation challenges to establishing institution-wide standards. The proposed framework was assembled by a multidisciplinary physician task force and will assist other institutions in adopting best approaches for training physicians in performing these critically important and difficult-to-perform procedures.