TY - JOUR
T1 - Alternative approaches to ambulatory training
T2 - Internal medicine residents' and program directors' perspectives
AU - Thomas, Kris G.
AU - West, Colin P.
AU - Popkave, Carol
AU - Bellini, Lisa M.
AU - Weinberger, Steven E.
AU - Kolars, Joseph C.
AU - Kogan, Jennifer R.
PY - 2009/8
Y1 - 2009/8
N2 - BACKGROUND: Internal medicine ambulatory training redesign, including recommendations to increase ambulatory training, is a focus of national discussion. Residents' and program directors' perceptions about ambulatory training models are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To describe internal medicine residents' and program directors' perceptions regarding ambulatory training duration, alternative ambulatory training models, and factors important for ambulatory education. DESIGN: National cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Internal medicine residents (N= 14,941) and program directors (N=222) who completed the 2007 Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) Residents Questionnaire or Program Directors Survey, representing 389 US residency programs. RESULTS: A total of 58.4% of program directors and 43.7% of residents preferred one-third or more training time in outpatient settings. Resident preferences for one-third or more outpatient training increased with higher levels of training (48.3% PGY3), female sex (52.7%), primary care program enrollment (64.8%), and anticipated outpatient-focused career, such as geriatrics. Most program directors (77.3%) and residents (58.4%) preferred training models containing weekly clinic. Although residents and program directors reported problems with competing inpatient-outpatient responsibilities (74.9% and 88.1%, respectively) and felt that absence of conflict with inpatient responsibilities is important for good outpatient training (69.4% and 74.2%, respectively), only 41.6% of residents and 22.7% of program directors supported models eliminating ambulatory sessions during inpatient rotations. CONCLUSIONS: Residents' and program directors' preferences for outpatient training differ from recommendations for increased ambulatory training. Discordance was observed between reported problems with conflicting inpatient-outpatient responsibilities and preferences for models maintaining longitudinal clinic during inpatient rotations. Further study regarding benefits and barriers of ambulatory redesign is needed.
AB - BACKGROUND: Internal medicine ambulatory training redesign, including recommendations to increase ambulatory training, is a focus of national discussion. Residents' and program directors' perceptions about ambulatory training models are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To describe internal medicine residents' and program directors' perceptions regarding ambulatory training duration, alternative ambulatory training models, and factors important for ambulatory education. DESIGN: National cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Internal medicine residents (N= 14,941) and program directors (N=222) who completed the 2007 Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) Residents Questionnaire or Program Directors Survey, representing 389 US residency programs. RESULTS: A total of 58.4% of program directors and 43.7% of residents preferred one-third or more training time in outpatient settings. Resident preferences for one-third or more outpatient training increased with higher levels of training (48.3% PGY3), female sex (52.7%), primary care program enrollment (64.8%), and anticipated outpatient-focused career, such as geriatrics. Most program directors (77.3%) and residents (58.4%) preferred training models containing weekly clinic. Although residents and program directors reported problems with competing inpatient-outpatient responsibilities (74.9% and 88.1%, respectively) and felt that absence of conflict with inpatient responsibilities is important for good outpatient training (69.4% and 74.2%, respectively), only 41.6% of residents and 22.7% of program directors supported models eliminating ambulatory sessions during inpatient rotations. CONCLUSIONS: Residents' and program directors' preferences for outpatient training differ from recommendations for increased ambulatory training. Discordance was observed between reported problems with conflicting inpatient-outpatient responsibilities and preferences for models maintaining longitudinal clinic during inpatient rotations. Further study regarding benefits and barriers of ambulatory redesign is needed.
KW - Ambulatory care
KW - Curriculum/program evaluation
KW - Medical education-graduate
KW - Medical student and residency education
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U2 - 10.1007/s11606-009-1015-8
DO - 10.1007/s11606-009-1015-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 19475458
AN - SCOPUS:77950353660
SN - 0884-8734
VL - 24
SP - 904
EP - 910
JO - Journal of general internal medicine
JF - Journal of general internal medicine
IS - 8
ER -