Barry Gelman
Jackson Memorial Hospital
Background: Competency-based assessment in graduate medical education requires supervising faculty to be familiar with specialty-specific milestones. Feedback to trainees should incorporate these milestones. There is no standard curriculum to teach pediatric faculty about the milestones.
Aims: We designed a curriculum integrating pediatric milestones and instruction in feedback and delivered it online to faculty. Our aims were to determine if this curriculum would: (1) increase resident and faculty knowledge of pediatric milestones; (2) increase faculty self-assessed competence to provide feedback; (3) increase frequency of feedback to residents; and (4) increase resident satisfaction with feedback.
Methods: Enrolled groups of residents and faculty were separately surveyed before and after the course. Frequencies of their categorical responses and means were compared. Faculty also evaluated the course after completion.
Results: The course was well received. Faculty reported increased knowledge of ACGME competencies and milestones, increased competence and likelihood to apply the milestones when giving feedback to residents, but no increase in frequency of that feedback. Residents did not report any increase in frequency or perceived value of feedback.
Conclusion: A focused online course about milestones is feasible and can be well received by faculty. The course improved their knowledge and applicability of milestones, but there was no change in frequency or value of feedback as reported by residents. Regular, repeated delivery of the course content, individualized faculty coaching, and concurrent engagement of residents might enhance the effectiveness of the curriculum.
