Internship Year Research Articles

Study of nursing interns' needs through their practical competency self evaluation

Nursing needs highly specialized competencies to accurately determine patients' states and cope with the problems that may occur during nursing care. The purpose of the study was to assess nursing interns' needs through their practical competency self evaluation. Design: A descriptive correlational resaerch design was utilized to conduct this study. Sampling: It consisted ofall available nursing interns (380) who were enrolled in internship year within the academic year 2019-2020. Setting: It was conducted at different departments and units at governmental and private hospitals. Instrument: Practical competency self evaluation questionnaire was used for data collection.Results: Showed that more than half of nursing interns (59.2%) were competent, while more than two fifths (40.8%) were incompetent. The highest mean score with the first ranking related to practical competency self evaluation was professional behavior, while the lowest mean score with the last ranking was critical thinking. Also the highest mean score with the first ranking related to practical needs was critical thinking Conclusion: More than two fifths of nursing interns (40.8%) had practical competency needs and there was highly statistical significant negative correlation between nursing interns' practical competency self-evaluations and their needs. Recommendation: hospitals should provide adequate training programs to improve nursing interns' practical competency and their needs to have high competency level.

Transitioning from university to postgraduate medical training: A narrative review of work readiness of medical graduates.

ContextWork readiness is often described in terms of the clinical competence medical graduates bring to day 1 of internship. Despite being increasingly viewed as a key graduate outcome, work readiness has remained poorly defined.ObjectiveThis narrative review draws on the international literature to explore how different research methods provide differing insight into what constitutes work readiness of medical graduates. From this, we explored contributory factors and developed a conceptual framework to better understand work readiness.MethodsDatabases were searched using the terms including “ready,” “readiness,” “preparedness,” “medical graduates,” “intern,” and “junior doctor.” Information was summarized using a textual description template that included information on study setting, participants, methodologies, limitations, and key result areas (including measures/themes and study conclusions). Consensus discussions between authors led to the naming and understanding of the key themes.ResultsSeventy studies were included in the review. Study participants included final‐year medical students (n = 20), junior doctors early in internship (n = 24), and junior doctors late in internship or postgraduate year 2 and above (n = 23). Most studies explored work readiness through the retrospective self‐report of the students and/or junior doctor participants. Quantitative research methods elaborated on key skills‐based competencies, whereas qualitative research methods provided insight into key contextual and individual characteristics that contributed to preparedness.ConclusionsDifferent research methods provided insight into competencies, as well as individual and contextual aspects, associated with preparedness for practice. The transition from university to clinical practice is significant and requires personal capability and confidence, as well as a supportive training context. Enabling students to engage authentically in clinical environments enhanced preparedness by promoting understanding of role and responsibility. Individual resilience is important, but contextual factors, including provision of adequate support and feedback, can enhance or subtract from feeling prepared. We propose a novel conceptual framework for better understanding work readiness.

All it Takes is One Click to Join Me on a "Meet": The Positive Impact of Technology on Peer Observations in the Virtual Learning Environment

Physically stepping foot into the middle and high school classroom is the opportunity teacher candidates (TCs) look most forward to as they enter their final year in our middle and secondary teacher preparation program. It is in this internship year when TCs practice the theory they have learned and start making their own pedagogical choices. The internship year and its experiences are recognized by AMLE Standard 1: “Middle level teacher candidates understand, use, and reflect on the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to young adolescent development and use that knowledge in their practice” (AMLE, 2012). The question I faced with the arrival of COVID-19 and the shutdown of in person school this past spring and fall as a teacher educator (TE) was this: How will I be able to provide these valuable moments of professional growth for my TCs if they are not in the buildings? The following description presents fellow teacher educators with my response to this question. I describe the creation of virtual peer observation experiences and in-real-time peer coaching that occurred in the virtual internship. Additionally, I describe the impact this process had on virtual post-observation conferences. Keywords: Virtual, Peer Coaching, Teacher Candidate, Observation

Graduating from Medical School amid a Pandemic: A Study of Graduates’ Mental Health and Concerns

The corona virus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has vastly impacted individuals worldwide. Millions have contracted the disease thus far; however, the ramifications of containment measures such as quarantine and lockdown have affected many more. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of self-reported anxiety and depression among a cohort of Saudi medical students, as well as graduating medical students’ concerns, during this pandemic. This cross-sectional study utilized an online survey that collected demographic data, scores on validated anxiety, and depression scales, as well as the graduates’ concerns. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) and the Public Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9) scales were used. Cutoff scores for anxiety symptoms were (GAD-7 ≥ 8) and for depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 10). Out of 83 graduates, 55 completed the online survey. Anxiety symptoms were present in 34%, depression was present in 26%, and 19% had both depression and anxiety symptoms. Female graduates experienced higher anxiety symptoms (54 vs. 15%, p = 0.004 ). The highest-ranked concerns were the possible effect of the pandemic on the forthcoming internship year and on the impact on the current academic course. We found high levels of anxiety and depression symptoms during the pandemic among our cohort of medical students in their final year of study. Our findings suggest that medical students in their final years may be negatively affected by the pandemic, where high levels of depression and anxiety coincide with concerns about the effect of the pandemic on the next phase of their vocation.

Medical education in times of COVID – 19: an experience at Faculdade Pernambucana da Saúde

Abstract Objectives: to describe and discuss interventions and strategies carried out at Faculdade Pernambucana de Saúde (FPS) during the COVID-19 pandemic to mitigate impairment in learning and preserve students, tutors, and staff’s health. Experience report: the teaching methodology used by FPS is problem-based learning, which greatly facilitated the non-discontinuity of theoretical activities carried out in-person in tutorial sessions involving a tutor and 10 to 12 students. This format was transferred to Webex Meetings rooms and held remotely. Practical laboratory activities were suspended and resumed when allowed in July. The teaching outpatient activities (third and fourth year) were suspended and resumed in August. Two years of internship were interrupted for 30 days (fifth year) and for 15 days (sixth year). External activities of practices in primary care were also suspended and resumed gradually. All assessments and activities that required face-to-face meetings, integrations, scientific initiation program orientations, collegiate meetings, meetings of the self-assessment committee were and are being carried out remotely. Conclusions: we believe that we were able to mitigate impairment in students' learning without compromising the conclusion of the school year that was facilitated by Problem Based Learning method.

Knowledge of musculoskeletal complications in sickle cell disease among medical students at King Faisal University

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited condition with a clinical presentation that may involve multiple body systems. One of main systems involved is the musculoskeletal system with complications including osteomyelitis, avascular necrosis, septic arthritis, osteoporosis, leg ulcers, and growth delay. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a self-administrated questionnaire was conducted at King Faisal University (KFU), at Al-Ahssa, Saudi Arabia. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was used for the data analysis. Results: There were 212 respondents who answered the questionnaire. Age groups were 18-20, 21-23, 24 and older with the majority (44.8%) being 21-23 years old. Female respondents were more than males with a percentage of 74.5% and 25.5% were males. Medical students in all different years in KFU participated in this study where the most participants (22.6%) were in their internship year. The prevalence of good knowledge was higher with 61.3% while average knowledge accounted for 32.5% and poor knowledge accounted for 6.1%. Conclusion: The study concludes that 61.3% of medical students at KFU have good knowledge about SCD and its musculoskeletal complications.

Exploring Students Nurses’ Preparedness and Readiness for to Care for Critically ILL Patients and Implication for Patient’s Safety

Background: Unsafe nursing care provided to critically ill patients by unqualified nurses can cost a patient’slife. When nursing care falls short of standards because nurses are lacking knowledge and or practical skills,nursing education programs shoulder much of the responsibility.Aims: aims of the current study were to explore the students’ nurses (senior students) preparednessand readiness to care for critically ill patients, determine the students’ nurses’ perceptions toward theirpreparedness and readiness to practice as critical care nurse and, compare between the students’ nursesclinical knowledge and their self – perceptions.Method: To fulfill the aims of the study, senior students in the Faculty of Nursing at the University ofAlexandria were recruited during the last month of the internship year. Three tools were used to collect thedata. Tool one “Generation of Core Competencies” that was aimed at identifying crucial competencies thatare required for new students’ nurses to provide competent and safe patient care. Tool two “Exploring thestudents’ nurses’ preparedness and readiness to care for critically ill patients” that was aimed to exploringthe clinical knowledge of the students’ nurses (objective tool) and Tool three “Casey-Fink Readiness forPractice Survey (CFRPS)” that was aimed to determining the students’ nurses’ perceptions toward theirpreparedness and readiness to practice as critical care nurse (subjective tool).Results: Results of the current study revealed that the median knowledge score was generally low (MD:14) denoting insufficient students nurses’ knowledge. The average number of correctly answered questionsby participants was only 14 out of 50 (mean, SD 14.12, 4.03).However, the nurses’ perceptions or attitudestoward their preparedness and readiness to practice as a critical care nurse were generally positive and high.About 50% of nurses answered at least 11 questions as “strongly agree” out of 15 questions of perception.Conclusions: Although the study was conducted at the end of the internship year as the clinical internshipexperience improved the nurses’ knowledge and perceptions of readiness for practice, there was acontradiction between the student nurses’ knowledge (low) and perceptions of their readiness (high).

From Medical School Application to Being Family Physician: Education And Career Journey of Medical Students

Aim: Medical schools in Turkey offer six-years-long undergraduate medical education. Most of them divide these six years into three period: The pre-clinical period is the first three years, the clinical period is the next two years, and the last year is practice-oriented internship. Education of family medicine specialty lasts three years. The aim of this study is to present; terms and processes of medical school applications, time structure of undergraduate medical education, terms of application to specialty education, and duration of family medicine specialty education in European Union (EU), United States of America (USA), Australia, United Kingdom, China, Japan, Canada, Russia, Singapore.Method: To access the information about processes of the medical education in foreign countries, a literature search was conducted between 03.10.2019-06.01.2020. Pubmed, Scopus and Google Scholar have been screened by using keywords. In addition to this, websites of some organizator institutions on medical education and healthcare as well as websites of some medical schools have been accessed.Results: In general, undergraduate medical education lasts 3-6 years. These years are divided into two parts; pre-clinical and clinical periods. To make application to medical school in USA and Canada, students have to be gotten a bachelor degree. Some countries require students 1-3 years of internship after graduation. Students have to sign “return of service” agreement in some specialty areas in Canada. Commonly, family medicine specialty education lasts 3 years.Conclusion: The phases of which students should pass from medical school application to being family physicians are different in every country. In spite of the differences, there are similar parts. Educational features and primary care career pathways in foreign countries should be investigated to adopt their positive sides for our country. Thus, our primary care physicians in future would provide better service to the community.

Redesigning the advanced pharmacy practice experiential education from hospital to home: A COVID-19 scenario

Introduction: During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, suspension of many educational activities occurred to mitigate the risks of infection spread. For pharmacy students in their internship year, many efforts have been made to move their experiential training to a virtual platform without compromising learning outcomes. Objectives: Redesign the advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) to remote learning without compromising the learning outcomes; Develop an appropriate teaching modality/strategy and assessment method for remote APPE; To drive the change in experiential education by providing guidance for other pharmacy schools dealing with similar situations. Restructured APPE: Eighty-seven interns were switched to an online internship with five specialties based on the availability of the preceptors, namely internal medicine, infectious diseases, oncology, total parenteral nutrition, and psychiatry. Experiential education activities such as drug information questions, case presentations, and clinical pharmacy topic discussions took place on virtual platforms. Student assessment was done using adjusted rubrics to suit the online platforms. Student feedback was taken using an online questionnaire and was mostly positive, indicating that they improved their clinical pharmacy knowledge. Conclusion: The authors highlighted the various restructuring modalities and learning methods used for different clinical rotations to achieve the learning outcomes in difficult situations. In future, the authors plan to work with their colleagues in other health colleges to adapt their practices together.

Development and Validation of a Competency Self-Assessment Tool for The Nurse Interns

Contents: Nurse Interns need more attention to their self-confidence and self-assessment abilities. Self-assessment is an essential approach for testing their knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
 Aim: This study aimed to develop a competency self-assessment tool for nurse interns and test its validity and reliability.
 Methods: Methodological study for the development of a tool. The study was carried out at Ain-Shams University Hospitals on all 89-nurse interns in the internship year, and a jury group of 21 faculty members and 21 nurse managers for validation. The researchers developed a preliminary self-assessment tool with six selected nursing core competencies presented to the jury group for validation.
 Results: The finalized tool had a very high total face CVI-S (0.99). The CVI-S ranged between 0.94 for environmental safety and hazardous materials safety and 1.00 for the content validity's attitude scale. The total scale had a CVI-S as high as 0.98. The tool had excellent overall reliability with a Cronbach alpha coefficient as high as 0.901 and an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.888. The attitude scale also had excellent reliability with a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.965 and an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.964. In the application of the tool, 95.5% of the nurse interns considered their competencies adequate. In terms of grades, only 32.6% and 10.1% considered themselves having very good and excellent competencies, respectively, and 70.8% had a positive attitude toward self-assessment.
 Conclusion: A valid and reliable competency self-assessment tool was developed for nurse interns; it can be applied in various nursing internship programs. It could be used by the administrators of the internship programs to identify the individual learning and training needs of nurse interns. Further studies are proposed to evaluate the utility of the tool in evaluating and improving these programs.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training: An Assessment of Interns' Needs and Barriers to Training.

Background and objectiveThe use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is generally on the rise worldwide. However, as the epidemiology of diseases and the approach to their management vary internationally, POCUS may not be universally applicable. The resources available for medical education are generally limited. Thus, when considering the development of a training program during the internship year, we sought to determine interns' perceptions of the applicability of POCUS to clinical practice, the current skill gaps, and barriers to training.Methods A validated questionnaire was distributed to the interns of the College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh to determine their proficiency in POCUS, and their opinions on its applicability on a 5-point Likert scale. Each skill gap was calculated by subtracting self-reported proficiency in POCUS from its perceived applicability.ResultsOf the 300 total interns (male: 200, female: 100), 229 participated [response rate: 76%; male: 136 (68%), female: 93 (93%)]. The use of POCUS to detect abdominal free fluid was perceived to be the most applicable use (mean: 3.9 ±1.1); scanning for consolidation was the least applicable (mean: 3.0 ±1.2). Knowledge and proficiency among the sample were generally poor. The skill gap was greatest for the assessment of inferior vena cava collapsibility (mean: 1.4 ±1.3) and least for the identification of pneumothorax (mean: 0.5 ±1.5). Although three-quarters of the participants (170) agreed that POCUS was an essential skill, 36 (16%) stated that they had no interest in it, and nearly half (101) believed that they did not have time to learn POCUS.Conclusions While POCUS is applicable to medical interns in Saudi Arabia, significant skill gaps exist. However, our sample's perception of the applicability of POCUS was less favorable than that of internal medicine (IM) residents in Canada. Thus, initiating POCUS training during the internship year may yield suboptimal results. Interns must prioritize medical licensing examinations and applications for residency training. Indeed, many interns believe that they do not have enough time to learn POCUS. Thus, prioritizing the training of residents in POCUS may be a more effective use of the finite resources available for medical education.

Level of clinical reasoning in intermediate nursing students explained by education year and days of internships per healthcare branches: A cross – sectional study

BackgroundDue to changes in health care nurses are achieving more responsibilities. Globally nurses are trained at different educational levels to become registered nurses. All nurses should be able to implement clinical reasoning in chronic and acute patient care. There is uncertainty in health care institutes about the level of performance of clinical reasoning in the intermediate nurses. ObjectivesThis cross-sectional study aimed to assess the level of clinical reasoning in intermediate nursing students in different education years. Furthermore, we explored whether the level of clinical reasoning can be explained by years of education and numbers of internship days in different healthcare settings. Design, setting and participants: All second, third and fourth year (n = 151) nursing students of one nursing school in the Netherlands were invited to participate in this study. Levels of clinical reasoning were assessed using the Dutch Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (D - LCJR). MethodsTwelve experienced nurses assessed the students during two days at the beginning of their education year in an educational simulation setting. Following the assessment protocol, the Rubric was scored in an interview after the students saw their patient. ResultsWe assessed 119 students. Fourth-year students scored on a significant higher level of clinical reasoning compared to the second - and third-year students (p < 0.001). Forty five percent of them reached an accomplished level of clinical reasoning. Second- and third-year students scored similar in their level of clinical reasoning (p = 0.61). In addition to education year an internship in the hospital care also explained the variation in level of clinical reasoning. Together they explained 38% (p < 0.001). ConclusionsIntermediate nursing students were successfully assessed on their level of clinical reasoning in an education environment. The level of clinical reasoning could be explained by education year and number of days internship in the hospital care.

Factors associated with student performance on the medical residency test.

To determine whether the scores of the Progress test, the Skills and Attitude test, and the medical internship are correlated with the medical residency exam performance of students who started medical school at the Federal University of São Paulo in 2009. The scores of 684 Progress tests from years 1-6 of medical school, 111 Skills and Attitude exams (5th year), 228 performance coefficients for the 5th and 6th years of internship, and 211 scores on the medical residency exam were analyzed longitudinally. Correlations between scores were assessed by Pearson's correlation. Factors associated with medical residency scores were analyzed by linear regression. Scores of Progress tests from years 1-6 and the Skills and Attitude test showed at least one moderate and significant correlation with each other. The theoretical exam and final exam scores in the medical residency had a moderate correlation with performance in the internship. The score of the theoretical medical residency exam was associated with performance in internship year 6 (β=0.833; p<0.001), and the final medical residency exam score was associated with the Skills and Attitude score (β=0.587; p<0.001), 5th-year internship score, (β=0.060; p=0.025), and 6th-year Progress test score (β=0.038; p=0.061). The scores of these tests showed significant correlations. The medical residency exam scores were positively associated with the student's performance in the internship and on the Skills test, with a tendency for the final medical residency exam score to be associated with the 6th-year Progress test.

Workplace ergonomics training intervention and its effect on quality of nursing work life among nurse interns

Objective: The current study aim is to evaluate impact of workplace ergonomics training intervention on the Intern nurses’ work life quality.Methods: The study accompanied through a quasi-experimental design with all nurse interns who registered in internship year, in operating rooms and critical care units at El Demerdash Hospital which are allied to Ain Shams University Hospitals. A triple-section questionnaire was used for data collection: First, part I - nurse interns’ socio demographic profile. Part II - self-administered knowledge questionnaire. Second, nurse interns’ performance observational checklist. Third, Brooks’ Quality of Nursing Work Life survey.Results: The study reported that nurse intern’ knowledge and practice related to workplace ergonomics were improved in the post intervention and follow up phases. Also, interns’ total quality of nursing work life was highly statistically significant different during post intervention and follow up phases when compared with pre intervention phase.Conclusions: The findings of this study concluded that ergonomics training intervention had positive impact on nurse interns’ work life quality in post and after three months from the intervention of training intervention compared to the pre intervention phase. The study recommends that nurse interns should adhere to safety guidelines in all their practices and provides nurse interns with safe patient handling and mobility training programs.

Application of Management Development Strategy for Developing Nurse Intern’s Managerial Skills

Background: Developing nurse interns’ managerial skills is crucial to increase their confidence, autonomy, and satisfaction that has proven to result in increased quality of patient care and increased patient safety. Aim: The current study aimed at developing managerial skills of nurse interns by application of management development strategy. Subject and Methods: Quasi experimental design was used. The study was conducted at Beni-Suef university hospital where the nurse interns spending their internship year. A convenient sample of nurse interns (184) who spend the internship year at Beni-Suef university hospital at academic year 2016-2017 were agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected using three tools; Nurse Interns’ knowledge questionnaire sheet, Observation checklist, and Nurse Interns’ needs assessment questionnaire Sheet. Results: The results showed that Nurse interns’ total knowledge related to managerial skills was unsatisfactory in the pre intervention, and improved in the post and follow up phases to satisfactory levels. Nurse interns’ total performance related to managerial skills was at inadequate in the pre intervention, and improved in the post and follow up phases to adequate levels. Conclusion: Nurse interns’ managerial skills were statistically significantly improved after implementing of the training intervention, and were still improved in the follow up phase. Recommendations: The study recommends conducting in-service education and professional development programs regularly based on need assessment. Further studies are needed to examine the effect of developing nurse interns’ managerial skills on organization outcomes.

Nursing Education: A Past Reflection for Better Future

My article provides a vision after 47 years of experience as a psychiatric nurse educator. It presents an analytical vision of a journey since the 70th to the present time, discussing the student journey from admission to Nursing faculty till graduation after the Internship year. On admission, Egyptian Students join the nursing school appealed by the working opportunities compared to other graduates of different faculties university.They join the school without a concrete concept to What is nursing as a profession and its realistic capabilities, personal characteristics as well as professional commitments of nursing education and practice? . They enroll with an adolescent related spirit of altruism, which is the usual disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others, kindness, humanity, sensitivity, and a naive sense of right and wrong. By time, Students undergo a nursing education programs’ modifications and development that helps them acquire intellectual and practical skills in addition to transferable skills concerning the profession.

Insegnanti consapevoli e critici dell’azione didattica attraverso l’analisi SWOT

The present contribution aims at collecting the outcomes achieved by 211 subjects, who are going to teach in primary and children’s school, who used the SWOT Analysis as a context investigation tool to plan, implement and evaluate classroom interventions. In particular, this paper analyzes and discusses the effectiveness of a training program for future teachers, attending the 3rd year of university internship, able to strengthen their critical awareness through a functional knowledge of the school environment and of pupils.The pre-experimental research, which covered nine months in the Academic Year 2017-2018, has actually increased the performance of the sample group, consisting of undergraduate students attending the degree course in Primary Education Sciences of the University of Palermo. Although the findings concern only one experimental situation, that cannot be generalized, the results showed an appreciable increase in the critical awareness of the group of trainee teachers, who have made a careful diagnosis of the educational situation functional to their teaching planning.

Do medical interns feel prepared to work in the COVID-19 pandemic?

OBJECTIVE To learn about the perceptions of medical internship students about the early conclusion of the course and their preparation to act in the fight against COVID-19. METHODS An online questionnaire was applied with questions about the socioeconomic profile and the object of investigation. The data were analyzed using the Bioestat 5.0 software. RESULTS 111 students participated, most of whom (61.3%) were male, aged 20 to 25 years (80.2%), of Catholic religion (57.5%), and attending the 2nd year of internship (50.5%). A small portion (22.5%) reported being in total social isolation. The majority (57.5%) considered themselves unprepared to act in the fight against the pandemic, and 86.8% of the students believe that the early conclusion of the course will contribute to the fight against COVID-19 in the country. CONCLUSION This scenario points to the urgency of measures that provide, to recent graduates, timely technical preparation, safe work conditions, and emotional support even at the beginning of their professional career, leading them to competent, dignified and healthy work, during and after the pandemic.

The New Ophthalmology Internship: A Trainee Curricular Survey

Abstract Background The American Academy of Ophthalmology, in conjunction with the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), has mandated the creation of a linked ophthalmology internship year for all programs by 2021. This mandate provides a unique opportunity to tailor a curriculum specific to the ophthalmology trainee. This study reports the results of a national survey of ophthalmology residents and fellows regarding the relevance and applicability of extramural content to their ophthalmology training. Methods Using the online portal SurveyMonkey, an anonymous survey was sent to 119 ACGME-accredited ophthalmology residencies. It consisted of nine questions formulated to measure the perceived applicability and relevance of other specialties to ophthalmology training. Responses were summarized with descriptive statistics. Outcomes were compared by one-way analysis of variance with Tukey's post hoc analysis for between group differences and Benjamini–Hochberg for multiple comparisons. Results Ninety-four respondents (residents and fellows) completed the survey (January–February 2020); 52.1% completed an internal medicine internship, 42.6% transitional, and 5.3% general surgery. Overall, prior internship experience was rated favorably. Otolaryngology and radiology were deemed the most relevant to ophthalmology training. Intensive care unit (ICU) was considered the least beneficial, followed by general surgery, primary care, and pediatrics. Neuroradiology was overwhelmingly preferred over general radiology. The majority of respondents reported minimal exposure to oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) in medical school/internship. When choosing a reason for inclusion in the new curriculum, respondents reported a high level of surgical overlap with otolaryngology, OMFS, and plastic surgery; clinical overlap with neurology; and ophthalmic consultation with emergency medicine. Conclusion Several specialties—notably otolaryngology, radiology, and neurology—were considered highly relevant but lacking in preresidency exposure. The preference for neuroradiology was almost unanimous. In contrast, general surgery and ICU were found to be minimally relevant. Overall, ophthalmology residents reported a high level of satisfaction with their internship experience, an important consideration when building a curriculum that will appeal to potential applicants. The findings of this survey provide a framework to build a curricular plan based on current resident and fellow experience.

Ophthalmology Applicant Perceptions of Two Residency Application Services: The San Francisco Match Central Application Service and Electronic Residency Application Service

Abstract Purpose Given ophthalmology residency programs are transitioning to include the internship year, either through “joint” or “integrated” 4-year programs, we set out to identify applicant preferences regarding the match and their experiences with two residency application systems: (1) the Central Application Service (CAS) and (2) the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Design This study is designed as a retrospective repeated cross-sectional survey. Methods A 15-question online survey was sent to 196 and 461 applicants to the 2019 and 2020 ophthalmology match cycles, respectively. Questions from the survey assessed user experiences with specific components of both application services and evaluated preferences regarding the future of the ophthalmology match. Results Responses were received from 208 (32%) applicants. A majority of users had positive experiences with both application services; for CAS, 162 (78%) applicants had a positive experience, compared with 111 (53%) for ERAS. When compared directly, applicants favored the CAS (60%) to ERAS (21%). Furthermore, 108 (52%) respondents stated that they would prefer ophthalmology continue to use both the CAS and ERAS, while 47 (23%) respondents indicated a desire for the CAS to become the only application system for both matches. Conclusion Although half of all respondents prefer that both the CAS and ERAS systems are utilized for the match process, many express a desire for a single matching program. As ophthalmology residency programs move to joint and integrated 4-year programs, the complexity of matching will increase. Further evaluation of applicant preferences during this transition phase is needed as applicants are required to apply to a variety of different joint and integrated internship and ophthalmology programs.