In the 2010 CORD-CDEM Supplement in Academic Emergency Medicine, 29 abstracts were selected from the CORD Academic Assembly. I reviewed the Abstracts #1-10 last week. Here's a quick look at Abstracts #11-19. Maybe there's something that you might be interested in pursuing or reading more about. Personally, I love reading about what educational studies are ongoing on out there.
‘‘Are They Who They Say They Are?’’ New Behavioral-Based Interview Style
Robert E. Thaxton, Robert J. Kacpowicz, John Rayfield (Wilford Hall Medical Center, USUHS and San Antonio Military EM Residency)
In this 2-year retrospective review of 32 residents to an EM program, 3 residents required disciplinary action. These 3 residents scored only 2.93 (on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best) on a behavioral-based scoresheet, which was based on a bank of standardized interview questions on leadership, motivation, flexibility, interpersonal skills, and decision making. Scoresheets were completed by faculty interviewers when these residents interviewed at their program. In contrast, the other 29 residents scored an average of 8.19. The authors conclude that professional behavior may be quantified and predicted by this interview approach.
Resident Values: Are They Important?
Robert E. Thaxton, John Rayfield (Wilford Hall Medical Center, USUHS and San Antonio Military EM Residency)
This 3-year retrospective study attempted to correlate resident disciplinary action with their interview question "Why is Medicine as a career important to you?"This interview was conducted upon entering the residency program by an APD. Responses were classified as either internal/personal focus or external/others focus. Of the 11 residents (of 78) who received disciplinary action, 8 had an internal focus and 3 had an external focus. Interestingly of the 8 with an internal focus, the disciplinary action involved areas of professionalism. Of the 3 with an external focus, the disciplinary action involved areas of medical knowledge (2) and professionalism (1).
Physician Perceptions of the Effect of Implementing a Standardized Written Plus Verbal Patient Sign-Out Process in an Academic Emergency Department
Jason D. Heiner, Jason M. Desadier, Benjamin P. Harrison (Madigan Army Medical Center)
This survey study using a convenience sample of 31 participants (21 EM residents and 10 EM staff) studied their opinions of a combined verbal AND written sign-out process (i.e. handoff) in the ED. After implementation of the new sign-out process, 81% felt that the sign-out process was somewhat better or much better and 61% felt that their comfort with the sign-out plan was somewhat better of much better.
‘‘I Want a Real Doctor’’: The Effects of Physicians in Training on Patient Satisfaction in the Pediatric Emergency Department
Brian W. Walsh, Alex Troncosco (Morristown (NJ) Memorial Hospital)
This multicenter, 5-year, retrospective study looking at Press Ganey surveys at 4 pediatric EDs evaluated patient satisfaction scores for when a physician in training (student/resident) was present and absent. Results from 1,373 ED visits revealed that doctor satisfaction was very slightly lower (87.9 vs 86.4, mean difference 1.5, 95% CI 1.3 to 1.7) with a physician-in-training. Oddly, the likelihood that the patient would return was higher (85.4 vs 84.4, mean difference -1.0, 95% CI -1.7 to -1.3) with a physician-in-training. In the end, although these differences are statistically significant, they are very slight, conflicting. Physicians-in-training probably do not tremendously affect patient satisfaction.
Does Subspecialty Training Affect Patient Satisfaction?
Brian W. Walsh, Elizabeth Haines (Morristown (NJ) Memorial Hospital)
This multicenter, 5-year retrospective study looking at Press Ganey surveys at 4 pediatric EDs evaluated "overall satisfaction", "satisfaction with doctor" and "likelihood to return" scores for EM-trained vs Pediatric EM-trained physicians. There was no difference across all three outcome measures.
Social Networking Websites and Internet Media As Residency Recruitment Tools
Bjorn K. Peterson, Eric J. Dahl, Cullen B. Hegarty (Regions Hospital, St. Paul, MN)
This abstract describes a program's educational innovation to harnass social media platforms to promote their residency program to potential applicants. Short video clips give viewers an overview of the program were posted on YouTube and Facebook.
Teaching Academy for Emergency Medicine Faculty
Michael A. Bohrn, David C. Vega, Noelle A Rotondo, Rebecca I. Bluett (York PA Hospital)
This abstract describes an EM department's education innovation in faculty development. EM faculty teach other EM faculty about bedside/clinical teaching over four 2-hour small-group sessions. These sessions cover bedside teaching, feedback and evaluations, teaching portfolios, and sharing of individual teaching projects.
Advanced Competency in Electrocardiography (ACE) Program for Emergency Medicine Residents
Michael A. Bohrn, Rebecca I. Bluett (York PA Hospital)
This abstract describes a residency's educational innovation in creating a certificate program in Advanced Competency in Electrocardiography (ACE) for only the top-performing EM residents. The certificate program requires that residents complete additional monthly assignments and self-study readings about advanced concepts in ECG interpretation.
Faculty Evaluations of Emergency Medicine Residents Using an Audience Response System Michael J. Rest and Laura J. Bontempo (Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven CT)
Faculty members often evaluate residents in a non-anonymous forum amongst other faculty. One program changed its practice by collecting faculty evaluation scores at a monthly meeting by an audience-response system (ARS), which is typically used in lectures. This allows for anonymous scoring and a platform where everyone's "voice" counts. This survey-based study assessed 17 or 24 (71% survey response rate) faculty members who felt that an ARS system increased the accuracy of resident evaluations.
