Creation of an Automated and Comprehensive Resident Progress System for Residents and to Save Hours of Faculty Time: Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: It is vital for residents to have a longitudinal view of their educational progression, and it is crucial for the medical education team to have a clear way to track resident progress over time. Current tools for aggregating resident data are difficult to use and do not provide a comprehensive way to evaluate and display resident educational advancement. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the creation and assessment of a system designed to improve the longitudinal presentation, quality, and synthesis of educational progress for trainees. We created a new system for residency progress management with 3 goals in mind, that are (1) a long-term and centralized location for residency education data, (2) a clear and intuitive interface that is easy to access for both the residents and faculty involved in medical education, and (3) automated data input, transformation, and analysis. We present evaluations regarding whether residents find the system useful, and whether faculty like the system and perceive that it helps them save time with administrative duties. METHODS: The system was created using a suite of Google Workspace tools including Forms, Sheets, Gmail, and a collection of Apps Scripts triggered at various times and events. To assess whether the system had an effect on the residents, we surveyed and asked them to self-report on how often they accessed the system and interviewed them as to whether they found it useful. To understand what the faculty thought of the system, we conducted a 14-person focus group and asked the faculty to self-report their time spent preparing for residency progress meetings before and after the system debut. RESULTS: The system went live in February 2022 as a quality improvement project, evolving through multiple iterations of feedback. The authors found that the system was accessed differently by different postgraduate years (PGY), with the most usage reported in the PGY1 class (weekly), and the least amount of usage in the PGY3 class (once or twice). However, all of the residents reported finding the system useful, specifically for aggregating all of their evaluations in the same place. Faculty members felt that the system enabled a more high-quality biannual clinical competency committee meeting and they reported a combined time savings of 8 hours in preparation for each clinical competency committee as a result of reviewing resident data through the system. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reports on the creation of an automated, instantaneous, and comprehensive resident progress management system. The system has been shown to be well-liked by both residents and faculty. Younger PGY classes reported more frequent system usage than older PGY classes. Faculty reported that it helped facilitate more meaningful discussion of training progression and reduced the administrative burden by 8 hours per biannual session.

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF REMEDIATION AMONG TRAINEES IN GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

BACKGROUND: Remediation of medical trainees is a universal challenge, yet studies show that many residents will need remediation to improve performance. Current literature discusses the importance and processes of remediation and investigates how to recognize residents needing remediation. However, little is known about trainees' attitudes and perception of remediation. OBJECTIVES: To assess trainees' knowledge of remediation as well as their attitudes and perceptions toward remediation and its process. We hypothesized that trainees have limited knowledge and a negative perception of remediation. METHODS: A cross-sectional anonymous electronic survey was sent to all graduate medical education trainees at a single institution. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 132/1095 (12.1%) trainees. Of the respondents, 7.6% were not familiar with the term "remediation." Trainees' knowledge of remediation processes was variable, and they reported overwhelmingly negative thoughts and attitudes toward remediation. Shame was felt by 97/132 (73.5%), 71/132 (53.8%) felt disadvantaged, and 121/132 (91.7%) viewed the term "remediation" negatively. Most trainees felt using a more positive term would improve perceptions, and 124/132 (93.9%) felt residents should be involved in creating individualized remediation plans. Open-ended responses on reactions to being placed on remediation included disappointment, shame, incompetency, anxiety and worry, embarrassment, unhappiness, suicidality, worthlessness, sense of failure, and doubting one's capabilities as a physician. CONCLUSION: Trainees have limited knowledge and understanding of remediation and strong negative perceptions and attitudes toward the remediation process. Trainees suggested that reframing of remediation using more positive terminology and including residents in creating individualized plans, may improve attitudes and perceptions of this process.

55-year-old Woman with Headache, Vomiting, and Visual Disturbance.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old woman with a past medical history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and iron deficiency anemia presented to the emergency department with three days of headache, nausea, vomiting, and visual changes. Her vital signs were within normal limits. She was noted to have a left cranial nerve six palsy on exam. RESULTS: Her laboratory testing revealed leukocytosis, hyponatremia, and hypokalemia. A non-contrast computed tomography scan of the head revealed an enlarged sella turcica and pituitary gland with hemorrhage and deviation of the optic chiasm. CONCLUSION: Her symptoms improved and she was discharged from the hospital in stable condition.