University-affiliated Programs Research Articles

The Sex or Race of Program Directors May Not Play a Significant Role in Impacting Diversity Among Orthopaedic Surgery Residents

PurposeTo identify residency program characteristics, including the presence of underrepresented minority in medicine (URiM) and/or female Program Director’s influence on the race and sex distribution of Orthopaedic Surgery Residency trainees. MethodsAll active and ACGME-accredited orthopaedic surgery residency programs from 2017-2021 that reported usable information on the Residency Explorer Tool were included. Data collected included program characteristics, faculty and resident sex distribution, ethnicity, race, and demographic characteristics. The program director’s (PDs) specific sex, ethnicity, race, and demographic characteristics were collected utilizing residency program websites. The prevalence of factors in programs with the top quartile of female and underrepresented residents were compared with the lower three quartiles. ResultsData were obtained from 148/200 ACGME-accredited programs (n=3,694 residents). The 52 excluded programs had no usable information on the Residency Explorer Tool or an identifiable program website. Overall, 15.9% of residents were female and 14% were underrepresented minorities in Orthopaedic surgery residency programs. Female PDs made up 12.4% and chairs 6.9% while URiM PDs and chairs were 8.3% and 4.6%, respectively. Programs with more female residents were not associated with a female PD (p=0.79) or with URiM PDs (p=0.48). Programs with a greater percentage of URiM residents were not associated with URiM PDs (p=0.16). No correlation was found with higher percentages of underrepresented residents and female PDs (p=0.76). Larger (p = 0.021) and university-based programs (p=0.048) had a greater percentage of female residents. Orthopaedic residency programs with Visa Sponsorship had a greater percentage of URiM residents (p = 0.017). ConclusionPrograms with a higher percentage of female or URiM residents did not show a significant association with having female or URiM program directors. Larger programs and university-affiliated programs were more likely to have a larger percentage of female residents, while programs that offered visa sponsorship had a higher percentage of URiM residents.

Equal but Separate: The Slow Assimilation of Osteopathic Surgery Residents Two Years After the Unified Match

The purpose of this study was to monitor the integration of general surgery residency programs before and after the 2020 unified match. We hypothesized that integration of osteopathic (DO) surgery residents would increase. We performed a retrospective cohort study of surgery residency programs between 2019 and 2021 utilizing data provided by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Program composition (2021) and changes in composition (2019-2021) were compared by program type. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed variables associated with DO presence (2021) and integration (2019-2021). General surgery residency programs across the United States. Civilian surgery residencies that completed the 2019-2021 program survey. Out of 320 programs, DO residents were integrated at 69% (221/320), including 52% (63/122) university programs, 78% (101/129) university-affiliated programs and 83% (57/69) community programs (p < 0.01). Overall, 23 (8%) programs integrated DO residents from 2019 to 2021, and 9 (21%) ex-American Osteopathic Association programs integrated MD residents (both p < 0.01). The median number of DO residents was 1 (interquartile range, IQR 0-2) at university programs, 2 (IQR 1-7) at university-affiliated programs, and 5 (IQR 2-12) at community programs (p < 0.01). The median number of DO residents at all programs increased from 1 (IQR 0-5) to 2 (IQR 0-6) since 2019 (p < 0.01). Community (OR 2.6, p = 0.04), university-affiliated (OR 2.3, p = 0.02), and programs with DOs in 2019 (OR 19.0, p < 0.01) were associated with increased odds of DOs present in 2021, while DO faculty (OR 2.6, p = 0.02) was the only factor independently associated with integrating DOs after 2019. While some programs have integrated DO residents, progress is slow, median numbers of DO residents remain low, and familiarity with DOs is most associated with integration. We explore barriers to integration, and advance recommendations to eliminate potential disparities.

Exploring the Challenges for International Medical Graduates Pursuing Minimally Invasive Surgery Training in the United States and Canada: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Background:International Medical Graduates (IMGs) are an important component of the US healthcare workforce. Prior studies have investigated bias against IMGs during the general surgery residency application in the United States. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a growing field; The MIS fellowship match was established in 2004 and is a competitive process with a match rate of 47%. Opportunities for applicants who are non-US citizens are limited by a series of factors that are not related to their professional qualifications.Objectives:The aim of the study was to explore the challenges faced by IMG in the MIS fellowship match.Methods:This is a cross-sectional study analyzing the minimally invasive surgery application requirements of all the programs listed in the Fellowship Council. Individual program requirements were collected into a database and a descriptive analysis was performed comparing programs who accept IMGs versus those that do not. Further statistical analysis was performed to explore those differences and associated factors.Results:There were 148 MIS fellowship programs and 187 positions offered during the 2021 match year in the US. Ninety-seven programs (65.5%) were found to accept graduates of foreign medical schools if they were US-citizens, whereas only 49 programs (33.1%) were found to accept IMG and sponsor a visa for their training. University affiliated programs (88.9% vs 75.0%, p = 0.04), programs with a general surgery residency (94.4% vs 75.0%, p = 0.003), and older programs (63.0% vs 45.5%, p = 0.04) were more likely to accept IMGs requiring visa sponsorship.Conclusions:There is a significant bias against IMGs in the MIS fellowship match, with a reduced number of positions available based on factors not related to their professional performance or qualifications. Well established programs, university, and residency affiliated programs are more likely to consider these physicians for training.

352 Virtual Etiquette: A Closer Look at Emergency Medicine Didactics in the Age of COVID

Covid derailed multiple facets of emergency medicine (EM) residency training, including the need to move from in-person to online weekly didactics. While online education has been used within 90% of medical schools, it has not traditionally been used for residency education. Recent studies evaluating post-graduate residents' perception of online education found a receptive audience eager to incorporate the modality. To date, no study has analyzed how EM programs are approaching online education, including content, efficacy, and attendance etiquette. As part of a process improvement project, an online Survey Monkey questionnaire was sent out to 180 EM residency program directors and coordinators. The survey was open from November 2020 to March 2021. We received 52 responses from program directors and coordinators from all regions of the United States with a majority from academic or university-affiliated programs. Due to COVID-19, over 90% of programs shifted to an online didactic platform with only 10% maintaining in-person didactics. Zoom has been the preferred modality utilized at 89% of programs we surveyed with minimal security and techinical issues. Program consensus was that residents should be on time or no more than 5-minutes late for credit (42% of programs), have video cameras on (52% of programs), and appear attentive (44% of programs). Virtual etiquette was also examined, including screen presence: upright posture (less than 18% of programs reported accountable), background (less than 10%), and lighting (less than 6%). A majority of programs had not set expectations for screen presence. If not presenting, the dress code is generally at the resident’s discretion and was noted to be casual (52%). Sixty percent of programs reported increased faculty attendance since moving to a virtal conference. Programs also reported maintiaing consistency in content (62% of programs), increased utilization of guest speakers (50% of programs), use of national platforms (21% of programs), and maintaing small group sessions (77% of programs). Many residency programs do not record didactics, and only 15% offer credit if lectures are watched at a later date. When safely able, over 65% of programs plan to return to in-person didactics. The online learning platform provides opportunities and proves challenges. Many programs have shifted to online learning and diversified their curriculum. EM residency training requires a strong foundation in core content, which may not entirely be suited for an online platform. This coupled with the loss of face-to-face learning may reflected in the desire for programs to return to in-person learning. The benefits of online learning, which include accessibility, flexibility, and broader reach of topics should not be neglected. Further exploration of the efficacy of knowledge acquisition within online didactics would aid in decisions regarding next steps for return to a potential hybrid teaching model.

The State of Morning Report in the Current Healthcare Landscape: a National Survey of Internal Medicine Program Directors.

BackgroundCase-based Morning Report (MR) has long been the predominant educational conference in Internal Medicine (IM) residency programs. The last comprehensive survey of IM MR was in 1986. Much has changed in the healthcare landscape since 1986 that may impact MR.ObjectiveWe sought to determine the current state of MR across all US IM programs.DesignIn 2018, US IM program directors (PDs) were surveyed about the dynamics of MR at their institutions, perceived pressures, and realized changes.Key ResultsThe response rate was 70.2% (275/392). MR remains highly prevalent (97.5% of programs), although held less frequently (mean 3.9 days/week, SD 1.2), for less time (mean 49.4 min, SD 12.3), and often later in the day compared to 1986. MR attendees have changed, with more diversity of learners but less presence of educational leaders. PD presence at MR is associated with increased resident attendance (high attendance: 78% vs 61%, p=0.0062) and punctuality (strongly agree/agree: 59% vs 43%, p=0.0161). The most cited goal for MR is utilizing cases to practice clinical reasoning. Nearly 40% of PDs feel pressure to move or cancel MR; of those, 61.2% have done so, most commonly changing the timing (48.5%), reducing the length (18.4%), and reducing the number of sessions per week (11.7%). Compared to community-based and to community-based, university-affiliated programs, university-based programs have 2.9 times greater odds (95% CI: 1.3, 6.9; p = 0.0081) and 2.5 times greater odds (95% CI 1.5, 4.4; p =0.0007), respectively, of holding MR after 9 AM, and 1.8 times greater odds (95% CI: 0.8, 4.2; p = 0.1367) and 2.0 times greater odds (95% CI: 1.2, 3.5; p = 0.0117), respectively, of reporting pressure to cancel or move MR compared to their counterparts.ConclusionsWhile MR ubiquity reflects its continued perceived value, PDs have modified MR to accommodate changes in the healthcare environment. This includes reduced frequency, shorter length, and moving conferences later in the day. Additional studies are needed to understand how these changes impact learning.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11606-021-07010-1.

The chartered financial analyst university affiliation program: Explicit and implicit benefits

The authors present the results of a global survey of chartered financial analyst (CFA) university-affiliated programs (UAPs) on the nature of academic-professional collaboration between the CFA Institute and participant universities. The results demonstrate that the presence of CFAs on faculty is increasing in the amount of time of affiliation with the CFA Institute. The results also reveal that UAPs value implicit curriculum related benefits over explicit benefits that are geared toward supporting postgraduation student performance. The authors find that UAPs greatly value the administrative and promotional benefits provided by the CFA Institute, although additional marketing may increase their usage rates.

Current status of robotic surgery in colorectal residency training programs.

Robotic surgery (RS) has been increasingly incorporated into colorectal surgery (CRS) training. The degree to which RS has been integrated into CRS residency training is not well described. A web-based survey was sent to all 2019 accredited CRS residency programs within the United States and Canada. Program directors (PDs) were queried on how robotic surgery had been integrated into their program, specifics on RS curriculum and opinions on RS training during general surgery residency. We compared survey responses by program type (university-based, university-affiliated programs, or independent programs) and by geographic region. In addition, a chi-square test was used to evaluate differences in survey responses with respect to robotic curriculum components. Of 66 programs, 42 (64%) responded to the survey. Of the responding programs, 35 (83%) were university-based or university-affiliated, while 7 (17%) were independent. Most programs were in the Midwest (33%). Forty-one (98%) reported having a surgical robot in use at their institution, with 95% reporting active participation of CRS residents in RS. While 74% of programs have a formal RS training curriculum for CRS residents, there was considerable variability in the curriculum elements employed by each institution, and the differences in proportions of these elements were significant (χ2 99.8, p < 0.001). The median operative approach to abdominopelvic cases was estimated to be 33% robotic, 40% laparoscopic and 20% open. There were no significant differences in the survey responses between university/university-affiliated and independent programs (p > 0.05) or among the different regions (p > 0.05). This study demonstrated that almost all CRS residencies have integrated RS and have trainees operating at the robotic console. Most programs have a robotics curriculum and there are expanding indications for RS within CRS. This expansion calls for discussion on implementation of training standards such as curricular requisites, baseline competency assessments, and definitions of minimum case requirements to ensure adequate training.

Self-Directed Learning among Internal Medicine Residents in the Information Age.

The revolution in information technology and a rapidly expanding evidence base are changing residency training. Understanding the habits and preferences of trainees' self-directed learning (SDL) has never been more important. Our goal was to provide a contemporary description of residents' SDL practices. Internal medicine residents at four university-affiliated programs were surveyed in Spring 2017. Residents estimated the number of hours in their typical week spent in SDL on service and after hours when on inpatient and noninpatient rotations, how often they used specific educational resources for SDL, and the percentage of time that they used four different modes to access resources. Of 384 residents, a total of 254 (66%) responded. Residents spent more total hours in SDL on noninpatient services (median 11, interquartile range 8-17) than on inpatient services (median 7, interquartile range 4-10) and the same median number of hours in SDL on clinical duty as off hours for both inpatient (median 3 hours) and noninpatient (median 5 hours) rotations. Nearly all of the respondents (99%) reported using online point-of-care resources for SDL at least once per week. Most (77%) never used printed textbooks. Desktop/laptop was the most commonly used (47% of the time) medium to access resources. Although the resident learning environment and resource use are changing, residents engage in as much or more time in SDL as in previous studies, with a large proportion occurring during clinical service. Understanding residents' current SDL habits will better prepare educators to support and guide our trainees.

Impact of a horticultural therapy certificate program on students and their professional activity

In the United States, horticultural therapy is primarily taught in university-affiliated certificate programs, with coursework for college credit that focuses on the use of horticulture for therapy and rehabilitation applied to a wide range of settings and applications. This study examines how individuals who have completed a certificate program at the Horticultural Therapy Institute (HTI) use their training. Associated with Colorado State University, HTI serves students from across the United States and internationally, has a relatively large student body, and is accredited by the American Horticultural Therapy Association. The majority of those who complete certificate courses are non-traditional adult learners who have earned a bachelor's degree or higher prior to enrollment. They are comprised of those with professional credentials in a variety of human service fields, those with experience in commercial horticulture, and those who seek to change careers or apply gardening skills in human service. Learning objectives for the intensive certificate courses include those that address horticultural therapy practice, treatment procedures, program development, therapeutic gardens, enabling tools, as well as site and program management. Understanding how individuals use horticultural therapy training is essential for career counseling and curriculum development, as well as to better understand the impact of horticultural therapy education. In order to collect this information, an online survey was sent to 317 people who completed the horticultural therapy certificate from 2003 through 2015. Questions included multiple choice and open-ended formats, with responses returned via the online tool and analyzed to gain an understanding of the influence of horticultural therapy certificate programs on graduates.

Adherence to Orthodontic Treatment in Youth With Craniofacial Conditions: A Survey of US Orthodontists.

(1) To explore orthodontists' perceptions of nonadherence and related factors in their patients with craniofacial conditions; (2) to examine differences in adherence perceptions by provider characteristics; (3) to evaluate current adherence interventions. Cross-sectional. United States-based orthodontists affiliated with a nonprofit association for providers treating oral cleft and craniofacial conditions received survey invitations via list-serv, e-mail, and social media. Thirty-eight orthodontists participated (mean age = 50.5 ± 10.7 years; 76% Caucasian; 55% male; 54% private practice). An 80-item survey assessed demographic characteristics; frequencies of various adherence problems and adherence-related prolonged or terminated treatment; importance of adherence to treatment outcomes; factors that may impact adherence; interest in improving adherence; and use of adherence-enhancing interventions. Adherence problems were common, yet 80.6% of participants rated adherence as "very important" to cleft treatment outcomes. Child behavior and motivation, caregiver reinforcement of behavior, and provider communication with the family were identified as factors that greatly impact adherence. Orthodontists in university-affiliated programs were more likely to rate individual, family, health-care system, and community factors as impacting adherence compared to private practice orthodontists; 80.6% used adherence interventions; these strategies were all rated as "sometimes successful." Nonadherence to cleft lip/palate-related orthodontic care is common and potentially detrimental to care. Current interventions are not uniformly successful and could be better tailored. Understanding provider, patient, and family factors that affect adherence can inform individualized treatment planning to improve adherence and ultimately, treatment outcomes.

Self-Appraised Readiness of Senior and Graduating General Surgery Residents to Perform Thoracic Surgery

General surgeons perform up to 50% of noncardiac thoracic surgery (TS). Although data show consistent TS case volume during general surgery (GS) residency it is unknown whether this operative trend will persist given potentially limited subspecialty exposure. We sought to determine if certain aspects of residency programs and resident characteristics were associated with trainees' perceived comfort in performing certain basic TS procedures. An anonymous survey was distributed to GS residents regarding program characteristics, presence of a TS residency, and intent to pursue thoracic surgical training, and estimated case volumes of individual procedures. Comfort levels for performing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical (VATS) procedures, open lobectomy, elective thoracotomy, and sternotomy were attained through a 5-point Likert-type scale. This survey was administered at 50 training programs with responses recorded via an online form. Fourth- and fifth-year GS residents in the United States. Of 272 respondents 58% were fourth-year residents, 62% of residents trained at university-affiliated programs, and 64% reported a TS residency program at their institution and 16% stated intent to pursue TS. Fifth-year residents performed significantly more cases than fourth-year residents despite no difference in median comfort levels. Residents intending to pursue TS performed significantly more cases and were more comfortable performing a thoracotomy, sternotomy, VATS wedge resection/biopsy, and VATS decortication/pleurodesis (p = 0.044, <0.001, 0.045, 0.025). No characteristics were associated with comfort performing a lobectomy via thoracoscopic or open (thoracotomy) approaches. Most senior or graduating GS residents state they are comfortable performing certain thoracic procedures with those pursuing additional thoracic surgical training more comfortable overall. No characteristics were associated with comfort performing a lobectomy. These findings may advise residency curriculum design to ensure continued thoracic surgical exposure and recommend against non-fellowship trained surgeons performing a pulmonary lobectomy.

Impact of co-investigators on pharmacy resident research publication

Objective:To explore influences of co-investigators on the successful publication of a pharmacy residency project.Methods:We analyzed published and non-published research presented at a regional pharmacy conference. s were matched 1:1 based on state and abstract year. We assessed university affiliation, number, degree, and H-Index of co-investigators on the abstract. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used to identify variables associated with resident publication.Results:University-affiliated programs (p=0.015), highest H-Index of a non-physician co-investigator (p=0.002), and positive H-Index (≥1) of a non-physician co-investigator (p=0.017) were significant predictors of resident publication on univariate analyses. There were no differences in the number of co-investigators (p=0.051), projects with physician co-investigators (p=1.000), or projects with Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master of Science (MS) co-investigators (p=0.536) between published and non-published projects. Multivariate analysis found that the highest H-index of non-physician co-investigator remained significant as a predictor to resident publication (odds ratio (OR) 1.09, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.01-1.17).Conclusions:The quality of co-investigators, as measured by an increasing H-Index, is associated with the successful publication of residency projects. More emphasis may need to be placed on resident research co-investigator selection and training to prepare pharmacy residents for research and scholarly activity.

Creating the Modern Physician: The Architecture of American Medical Schools in the Era of Medical Education Reform

In the late nineteenth century, the American system of medical education underwent a complete transformation. Medical colleges shifted from commercial schools where instruction was based almost exclusively on classroom lectures to university-affiliated programs providing hands-on training in both laboratory and clinical work. Medical educators recognized that successfully enacting the new pedagogy required new buildings. By the 1930s, almost every medical college in the United States had rebuilt or significantly renovated its facilities. In Creating the Modern Physician: The Architecture of American Medical Schools in the Era of Medical Education Reform, Katherine L. Carroll analyzes the first wave of schools constructed to house the new medical training. She examines the three dominant types of American medical school buildings, which she argues did more than supply spaces for teaching and research—they defined specific conceptions of modern medicine and helped to shape the modern physician.

Knowledge of the B-Lynch Brace Suture Technique Among Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident Physicians

Abstract Background: The B-Lynch brace suture is invaluable in the surgical management of postpartum hemorrhage, particularly as a fertility-sparing alternative to hysterectomy. Objective: The aim of this research was to investigate knowledge patterns of the B-Lynch brace suture technique among obstetrics–gynecology resident physicians. Materials and Methods: A short anonymous and voluntary survey was administered to obstetrics–gynecology resident physicians from various university-affiliated and community residency programs located in the northeastern United States. The questions were designed to help assess a resident physician's knowledge about the technique and intraoperative application of the B-Lynch brace suture. Resident physician responses were compared by postgraduate year (PGY) level. Chi-square (χ2) and Fisher's exact tests were used when appropriate. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Seventy (58.3%) of 120 resident physicians completed the survey. Of these, 17 (24.3%) revea...

General Surgery Residents’ Perception of Robot-Assisted Procedures During Surgical Training

With the continued expansion of robotically assisted procedures, general surgery residents continue to receive more exposure to this new technology as part of their training. There are currently no guidelines or standardized training requirements for robot-assisted procedures during general surgical residency. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of this new technology on general surgery training from the residents' perspective. An anonymous, national, web-based survey was conducted on residents enrolled in general surgery training in 2013. The survey was sent to 240 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved general surgery training programs. Overall, 64% of the responding residents were men and had an average age of 29 years. Half of the responses were from postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and PGY2 residents, and the remainder was from the PGY3 level and above. Overall, 50% of the responses were from university training programs, 32% from university-affiliated programs, and 18% from community-based programs. More than 96% of residents noted the availability of the surgical robot system at their training institution. Overall, 63% of residents indicated that they had participated in robotic surgical cases. Most responded that they had assisted in 10 or fewer robotic cases with the most frequent activities being assisting with robotic trocar placement and docking and undocking the robot. Only 18% reported experience with operating the robotic console. More senior residents (PGY3 and above) were involved in robotic cases compared with junior residents (78% vs 48%, p < 0.001). Overall, 60% of residents indicated that they received no prior education or training before their first robotic case. Approximately 64% of residents reported that formal training in robotic surgery was important in residency training and 46% of residents indicated that robotic-assisted cases interfered with resident learning. Only 11% felt that robotic-assisted cases would replace conventional laparoscopic surgery in the future. This study illustrates that although the most residents have a robot at their institution and have participated in robotic surgery cases, very few residents received formal training before participating in a robotic case.

General Surgery Residency After Graduation From US Medical Schools

International-United States medical graduates (I-USMGs) are non-US citizen graduates of U.S. medical schools. Although academically equivalent to US-citizen peers, they are subject to the same visa requirements as non-US citizen international medical graduates. We hypothesized that visa sponsorship policies of general surgery programs (GSPs) may be discordant with the enrollment patterns of I-USMGs. A total of 196 GSPs participated in a telephone survey regarding visa sponsorship policies. Whereas GSPs preferred J-1 to H-1B sponsorship (64.2% vs. 32.6%), I-USMG enrollment favored programs supporting H-1B sponsorship (72.1% vs. 7.5%) (P = .01). University-affiliated programs were more likely to sponsor H1-Bs than independent programs (39.6% vs. 24.4%) (P = .03) and trained a greater proportion of I-USMGs than independent programs (40.6% vs. 14.0%) (P < .01). Restrictive policies against H-1B sponsorship may limit GSPs' I-USMG applicant pool and restrict I-USMGs' surgical training options.

Dissemination of evidence‐based practices: how far we've come, and how much further we've got to go

Dissemination of evidence‐based practices: how far we've come, and how much further we've got to go

Nurse Practitioners in Emergency Care

Nurse Practitioners in Emergency Care

In Memoriam: Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual DisabilitiesVolume 6, Issue 4 p. 241-242 In Memoriam: Eunice Kennedy Shriver Terrence R. Dolan, Terrence R. Dolan Past President, IASSIDSearch for more papers by this author Terrence R. Dolan, Terrence R. Dolan Past President, IASSIDSearch for more papers by this author First published: 08 December 2009 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-1130.2009.00237.x About the author: Terrence R. Dolan, PhD, was the President of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities (IASSID) from 1992 to 1996. He was Chair of the Association of Mental Retardation Research Centers and President of the American Association of University Affiliated Programs. Dr. Dolan also was Director of the Waisman Center on Mental Retardation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the period 1982–2002. In these and other capacities, it was his privilege to work closely with Mrs. Eunice Kennedy Shriver. He served as a Science Advisor to Mrs. Shriver for the past 18 years; served on the Board of Best Buddies International; contributed to discussions and working groups at Special Olympics International; advised the Kennedy Foundation Board; and, in the early 1990s, worked with her husband, R. Sargent Shriver, to develop Special Olympics International in the former Soviet Union. Dr. Dolan is currently Chairman of BIOPONS, Inc., and President and CEO of Dolan Consulting in Tucson, Arizona. He may be contacted at dolan.terrence@gmail.com. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume6, Issue4December 2009Pages 241-242 RelatedInformation

The Current Use of the University-Affiliated Internship Option by Universities/Colleges Approved by the American Music Therapy Association

ABSTRACT: Academic institutions approved by the American Music Therapy Association are charged with the task of providing quality internship experiences for every music therapy student. The American Music Therapy Association's Standards for Education and Clinical Training (AMTA, 2004) offer educators two different options for the selection of internships (i.e., utilizing AMTA's national roster, or establishing university-affiliated programs). The researchers conducted a survey of all AMTA-approved university/college program directors to examine the use of the university-affiliated option. Results indicate that most AMTA-approved institutions are utilizing this option and that most program directors are very satisfied with their universityaffiliated internships. Survey results also demonstrate that procedures for establishing internships and supervising interns vary greatly. Since the establishment of the first music therapy internships, researchers and music therapy organizations have evaluated clinical training programs in order to learn from and to improve training processes and practices. Researchers have investigated the status of education and training in music therapy (Maranto & Bruscia, 1989); emotional stages of an intern (Grant & McCarty, 1990); performance skills, academic knowledge and personal qualities of an intern (Brookins, 1984); and learning outcomes associated with the internship experience (Petrie, 1993). However, little research has been done on the structures and processes associated with internship development and implementation or on educators' satisfaction with their own internship procedures. Early in the development of the music therapy field, O'Morrow (1967) discussed learning issues interns face and made suggestions for supervisors addressing those issues. O'Morrow (1967) stated a clinical training program should be designed to give the student a knowledge of the application of music therapy in the treatment of the patient; an understanding of the causes, development, and treatment of an illness; clinical experience as a participant, under close supervision, in an active treatment program; and a concept of professional ethics and professional responsibility (p. 128). As the profession grew and more university and internship programs were developed, researchers began to gain information on music therapists' perceptions of their internship training. Gault (1978) surveyed 918 Registered Music Therapists (RMTs) to determine perceptions regarding the effectiveness of their clinical experience in preparing them for clinical practice. Sixty percent of respondents considered their internship experience adequate. The respondents, however, expressed a need for more standardization and regulation of clinical training by the former National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT). For example, 67% believed NAMT should provide specific types and amounts of clinical experience for music therapy students prior to internship. In addition, 69% felt NAMT should have a more active role in internship format. Finally, 57% believed NAMT should regulate the percentage of internship time to be spent in actual music therapy practice (p. 38). In an extensive survey of 1064 RMTs, Braswell, Maranto, and Decuir (1979) questioned perceptions regarding the adequacy of education and clinical training. The vast majority of respondents considered their training at least adequate. In another survey, Braswell, Decuir, and Brooks (1985) examined clinical training in facilities approved by NAMT and compliance with NAMT's Guidelines for Establishing and Maintaining Music Therapy Clinical Training Programs. One hundred thirty-four clinical training directors and seventy-five interns were asked detailed questions regarding many aspects of clinical training. The researchers considered their results primarily positive, with the exception of a few instances of non-compliance with NAMT's guidelines. …