Project description:ObjectiveTo report on contextual variance in the distributed rural family medicine residency programs of 3 Canadian medical schools.DesignA constructivist grounded theory methodology was employed.SettingRural and remote postgraduate family medicine programs at the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Calgary.ParticipantsTwenty-six family practice residents were interviewed, providing descriptions of 27 different rural sites and 10 regional sites.MethodsInterviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed.Main findingsParticipants differentiated between main campus academic health science centres; regional referral hub sites; and smaller, rural, and more remote community sites. Participants described major differences between sites in terms of patient, practice, educational, physical, institutional, and social factors. The differences between training sites included variations in learning opportunities; physical challenges related to weather, distance, and travel; and the social opportunities offered. There were also differences in how residents perceived their training sites, both in terms of what they noticed and how they interpreted their observations and experiences. Although there were contextual differences between regional sites, those differences were a lot less than between different smaller rural and remote sites. These differences shaped the learning opportunities available to residents and influenced their well-being.ConclusionAlthough there may be some similarities between distributed training sites, each training context presents unique challenges and opportunities for the family medicine residents placed there. More attention to the specific affordances of different training contexts is required.
Project description:BackgroundBurnout rates for internal medicine residents are among the highest of all specialties, yet little is known about how residents recover from burnout.ObjectiveWe identified factors promoting recovery from burnout and factors that assist with the subsequent avoidance of burnout among internal medicine residents.MethodsA purposive sample of postgraduate year 2 (PGY-2), PGY-3, and recent graduates who experienced and recovered from burnout during residency participated in semistructured, 60-minute interviews from June to August 2016. Using qualitative methods derived from grounded theory, saturation of themes occurred after 25 interviews. Coding was performed in an iterative fashion and consensus was reached on major themes.ResultsCoding revealed 2 different categories of resident burnout-circumstantial and existential-with differing recovery and avoidance methods. Circumstantial burnout stemmed from self-limited circumstances and environmental triggers. Recovery from, and subsequent avoidance of, circumstantial burnout arose from (1) resolving workplace challenges; (2) nurturing personal lives; and (3) taking time off. In contrast, existential burnout stemmed from a loss of meaning in medicine and an uncertain professional role. These themes were identified around recovery: (1) recognizing burnout and feeling validated; (2) connecting with patients and colleagues; (3) finding meaning in medicine; and (4) redefining a professional identity and role.ConclusionsOur study suggests that residents experience different types of burnout and have variable methods by which they recover from and avoid further burnout. Categorizing residents' burnout into circumstantial versus existential experiences may serve as a helpful framework for formulating interventions.
Project description:BACKGROUND: Multiple factors affect residency education, including duty-hour restrictions and documentation requirements for regulatory compliance. We designed a work sampling study to determine the proportion of time residents spend in structured education, direct patient care, indirect patient care that must be completed by a physician, indirect patient care that 5 be delegated to other health care workers, and personal activities while on an inpatient general practice unit. METHODS: The 3-month study in 2009 involved 14 categorical internal medicine residents who volunteered to use personal digital assistants to self-report their location and primary tasks while on an inpatient general practice unit. RESULTS: Residents reported spending most of their time at workstations (43%) and less time in patient rooms (20%). By task, residents spent 39% of time on indirect patient care that must be completed by a physician, 31% on structured education, 17% on direct patient care, 9% on indirect patient care that 5 be delegated to other health care workers, and 4% on personal activities. From these data we estimated that residents spend 34 minutes per patient per day completing indirect patient care tasks compared with 15 minutes per patient per day in direct patient care. CONCLUSIONS: This single-institution time study objectively quantified a current state of how and where internal medicine residents spend their time while on a general practice unit, showing that residents overall spend less time on direct patient care compared with other activities.
Project description:BackgroundDespite increasing use of telehealth, there are limited published curricula training primary care providers in utilizing telehealth to deliver complex interdisciplinary care.ObjectiveTo describe and evaluate a telehealth curriculum with a longitudinal objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) to improve internal medicine residents' confidence and skills in coordinating complex interdisciplinary primary care via televisits, electronic consultation, and teleconferencing.MethodsIn 2019, 56 first- and third-year residents participated in a 3-part, 5-week OSCE training them to use telehealth to manage complex primary care. Learners conducted a standardized patient (SP) televisit in session 1, coordinated care via inter-visit e-messaging, and led a simulated interdisciplinary teleconference in session 2. Surveys measured confidence before session 1 (pre), post-session 1 (post-1), and post-session 2 (post-2). SP televisit checklists and investigators' assessment of e-messages evaluated residents' telehealth skills.ResultsResponse rates were pre 100%, post-1 95% (53 of 56), and post-2 100%. Post-intervention, more residents were "confident/very confident" in adjusting their camera (33%, 95% CI 20-45 vs 85%, 95% CI 75-95, P < .0001), e-messaging (pre 36%, 95% CI 24-49 vs post-2 80%, 95% CI 70-91, P < .0001), and coordinating interdisciplinary care (pre 35%, 95% CI 22-47 vs post-2 84%, 95% CI 74-94, P < .0001). More residents were "likely/very likely" to use telemedicine in the future (pre 56%, 95% CI 43-69, vs post-2 79%, 95% CI 68-89, P = .001).ConclusionsA longitudinal, interdisciplinary telehealth simulation is feasible and can improve residents' confidence in using telemedicine to provide complex patient care.
Project description:AudienceThis is a combined independent study and simulation session designed to teach and drill Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) Triage and is intended for emergency medicine residents at all levels.IntroductionThe training of emergency medicine residents to assume leadership roles in disaster response is important. However, lack of accepted specific educational goals on the national level leads to significant variability between residencies.Educational objectivesThe purpose of this session is to train EM residents in the use of the Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START) and pediatric JumpSTART algorithms for triage in mass casualty incidents (MCIs) using an asynchronous model. By the end of this small group session, learners will be able to: 1) describe START triage for adult MCI victims; 2) describe JumpSTART triage for pediatric MCI victims; 3) demonstrate the ability to apply the START and JumpSTART triage algorithms in a self-directed learning environment; 4) demonstrate the ability to apply the START and JumpSTART triage algorithms in a simulated mass casualty scenario under time constraints; and 5) demonstrate appropriate use of acute life-saving interventions as dictated by the START and JumpSTART triage algorithms in a high-pressure simulated environment.Educational methodsThis session utilizes an online independent study module that was created de novo for this specific purpose by the authors followed by a high-pressure in-person simulation session where learners practice applying the START triage model with multiple simulated patients under time constraint.Research methodsLearner feedback was collected after completion of the session. Retention of learning objectives was tested at four months via multiple-choice quiz.ResultsThe session was very well received by our residents, who appreciated the opportunity to practice applying START triage under pressure. The average score on the pretest was 49%. Response rates to the post-test were low, but residents scored an average of 73%, indicating a trend towards retention of learning objectives.DiscussionOverall, the utilization of a de novo online learning module followed by simulation proved to be a well-received method of teaching MCI triage to emergency medicine residents. We consider this to be an effective way to train MCI Triage with minimal in-conference time utilization. We plan to implement this training annually to provide our residents with longitudinal reinforcement of this vital skill.TopicsMass casualty, MCI, triage, START triage, JumpSTART Triage, disaster, disaster preparedness, disaster curriculum, prehospital, EMS.
Project description:ImportanceThe United States spends more than $12 billion annually on graduate medical education. Understanding how residents balance patient care and educational activities may provide insights into how the modern physician workforce is being trained.ObjectiveTo describe how first-year internal medicine residents (interns) allocate time while working on general medicine inpatient services.Design, setting, and participantsDirect observational secondary analysis, including 6 US university-affiliated and community-based internal medicine programs in the mid-Atlantic region, of the Comparative Effectiveness of Models Optimizing Patient Safety and Resident Education (iCOMPARE) trial, a cluster-randomized trial comparing different duty-hour policies. A total of 194 weekday shifts were observed and time motion data were collected, sampled by daytime, nighttime, and call shifts in proportion to the distribution of shifts within each program from March 10 through May 31, 2016. Data were analyzed from June 1, 2016, through January 5, 2019.Main outcomes and measuresMean time spent in direct and indirect patient care, education, rounds, handoffs, and miscellaneous activities within a 24-hour period and in each of four 6-hour periods (morning, afternoon, evening, and night). Time spent multitasking, simultaneously engaged in combinations of direct patient care, indirect patient care, or education, and in subcategories of indirect patient care were tracked.ResultsA total of 80 interns (55% men; mean [SD] age, 28.7 [2.3] years) were observed across 194 shifts, totaling 2173 hours. A mean (SD) of 15.9 (0.7) hours of a 24-hour period (66%) was spent in indirect patient care, mostly interactions with the patient's medical record or documentation (mean [SD], 10.3 [0.7] hours; 43%). A mean (SD) of 3.0 (0.1) hours was spent in direct patient care (13%) and 1.8 (0.3) hours in education (7%). This pattern was consistent across the 4 periods of the day. Direct patient care and education frequently occurred when interns were performing indirect patient care. Multitasking with 2 or more indirect patient care activities occurred for a mean (SD) of 3.8 (0.4) hours (16%) of the day.Conclusions and relevanceThis study's findings suggest that within these US teaching programs, interns spend more time participating in indirect patient care than interacting with patients or in dedicated educational activities. These findings provide an essential baseline measure for future efforts designed to improve the workday structure and experience of internal medicine trainees, without making a judgment on the current allocation of time.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02274818.
Project description:IntroductionRelatively little is known about faculty development (FD) activities that help participants achieve sustainable behavioral change. This qualitative study evaluated the medium- to long-term impact of a FD workshop informed by transformative learning (TL) theory. It aimed to discover which aspects of FD prompted healthcare professionals (HPs) to adopt effective teaching and learning practices.MethodsSeventeen participants were interviewed between January and July 2020, 7 to 30 months after the workshop. Purposeful sampling strategies were used to collect data and analysis was performed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsFour themes were identified: perspectival shift in educational practice, re-affirmation of current practices, becoming an educator, and valuing FD that accommodates HPs' multiple communities of practice (CoPs). Workshop activities foregrounding critical discourse and reflection helped participants gain new knowledge and deeper understanding of education. TL was likely when participants already identified as an educator in addition to their HP identity. Additionally, a workplace CoP determined the type and level of support affecting HPs' development as educators.DiscussionAspects of FD that prompted HPs to adopt effective teaching and learning practices included initiatives that catalyzed critical discourse and reflection. Readiness for TL is promoted when HPs have a strong educator identity because of workplace educator CoPs. Future research could explore effecting sustainable post-workshop behavioral change in HPs through the strengthening of workplace educator CoPs. To do this, institutions could send co-located HPs from different disciplines to the same FD program.
Project description:ObjectivesThe vast majority of residents' working time is spent away from patients. In hospital practice, many factors may influence the resident's working day structure.Using an innovative method, we aimed to compare working time allocation among internal medicine residents using time-motion observations. The first study goal was to describe how the method could be used for inter-hospital comparison. The secondary goal was to learn about specific differences in the resident's working day structure in university and non-university hospital settings.DesignTwo separate time-motion studies. Trained peer-observers followed the residents during weekday day shifts with a tablet, able to record 22 different activities and corresponding context (with patient, phone, colleague or computer).SettingInternal medicine residencies at a university (May-July 2015) and a non-university (September-October 2016) community hospital.Participants28 residents (mean age: 29 years, average postgraduate training: 30 months) at university hospital, 21 residents (mean age: 30 years, average postgraduate training: 17 months) at non-university hospital.OutcomesTime spent with patients and time dedicated to activities directly related to patients; description of main differences of time allocation between hospitals.ResultsCumulatively 1051 hours of observation (566 (university hospital)+486 (non-university hospital)) and 92 day shifts (49+43) were evaluated. Daily working time was 11.5 versus 11.3 hours. A median daily period of 195 min (IQR 179-211, 27.9%) and 116 min (IQR 98-134, 17.2%) (p<0.001) was dedicated to direct patient care, respectively.ConclusionsWe successfully identified differences potentially related to each hospital structure and organisation. Inter-hospital comparisons could help set up interventions aiming to improve workday structure and experience of residents.
Project description:BackgroundThe high documentation demands and limited time in direct patient care in the first year of internal medicine residency represent concerns for burnout and low job satisfaction in this important year of training.ObjectiveTo assess the effect of scribes on the time PGY-1 residents spent on various work tasks.MethodsParticipants were 24 PGY-1 internal medicine residents on two inpatient medicine teams at one site for 6 months (September 2019-February 2020). Residents were assigned a scribe during the first or second 2 weeks of a 4-week rotation and had no scribe for the other 2 weeks. Time study observers documented resident work activities. Residents ranked the meaningfulness of work activities via survey at the end of each 2-week period.ResultsOf 24 residents, 18 (75%) completed the survey at both time points. Residents ranked patient care as the most meaningful and EHR work as the least meaningful work activity. EHR work claimed the largest percentage of time, with or without a scribe (mean, 33.2% and 39%, respectively). With a scribe, residents spent significantly less time (-5.8%, P < 0.0001) in EHR work and significantly more time (1.3%, P = 0.0267) in direct patient care and coordinating patient care (3.0%, P < 0.0001).ConclusionsThe presence of a scribe with PGY-1 internal medicine residents on inpatient teams resulted in a significantly greater percentage of total work time spent in work they considered most meaningful and a significantly lower percentage of total work time in work they considered least meaningful.