Development and Evaluation of a Faculty Teaching Boot Camp Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction Medical faculty often assume teaching responsibilities without formal training in teaching skills. The purpose of this study was to design, implement, and evaluate boot camp workshop training faculty in basic teaching competencies. We also describe the transition to a virtual format necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The workshop content was derived from a needs assessment survey and discussion with content experts. Four main content areas were identified: setting expectations, giving feedback, evaluating learners, and teaching in specific settings (outpatient clinics, inpatient wards, procedures/surgery, and small groups). The initial boot camp was a four-hour in-person event. The following year, the boot camp was offered via online videoconference. We used a pre-post survey to assess participant reaction and knowledge acquisition from session content. Results A total of 30 local faculty attended the 2020 in-person boot camp, while 105 faculty from across the state attended the 2021 online boot camp. Statistically significant increases in post-knowledge scores were identified for two sessions in the 2020 boot camp and four sessions in 2021. The participants rated both boot camps favorably with no significant difference between the in-person and online presentations for most ratings but were less satisfied with networking opportunities in the online boot camp. Discussion We describe an effective faculty development boot camp teaching core competencies for medical clinician-educators. We were able to leverage the online teleconferencing platform to deliver the content to a larger number of preceptors at distant sites without sacrificing outcomes of participant satisfaction and improvement in knowledge scores. The online model allowed busy clinicians to participate while multitasking. Comments also highlighted the importance of having an engaged moderator during the online event. Conclusions Many medical schools utilize preceptors in distant locations. We demonstrated the feasibility of reaching a much larger and geographically widespread group of clinical preceptors using a virtual format while still showing improvement in knowledge scores relating to workshop content. For future faculty development, we propose that hybrid models with both in-person and virtual components will be effective in meeting the needs of a geographically distributed faculty.

Enhancing Advance Care Planning Communication: An Interactive Workshop With Role-Play for Students and Primary Care Clinicians.

Introduction: Increased clinician training on advance care planning (ACP) is needed. Common barriers to ACP include perceived lack of confidence, skills, and knowledge necessary to engage in these discussions. Furthermore, many clinicians feel inadequately trained in prognostication. Evidence exists that multimodality curricula are effective in teaching ACP and can be simultaneously targeted to trainees and practicing clinicians with success. Methods: We developed a 3-hour workshop incorporating lecture, patient-oriented decision aids, prognostication tools, small-group discussion, and case-based role-play to communicate a values-based approach to ACP. Cases included discussion of care goals for a patient with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and one with mild cognitive impairment. The workshop was delivered to fourth-year medical students, then adapted in two primary care clinics. In the clinics, we added an interprofessional case applying ACP to management of dental pain in advanced dementia. We evaluated the workshops using pre-post surveys. Results: Thirty-four medical students and 14 primary care providers participated. Self-reported knowledge and comfort regarding ACP significantly improved; attitudes toward ACP were strongly positive both before and after. The workshop was well received. On a 7-point Likert scale (1 = unacceptable, 7 = outstanding), the median overall rating was 6 (excellent). Discussion: We developed an ACP workshop applicable to students and primary clinicians and saw improvements in self-reported knowledge and comfort regarding ACP. Long-term effects were not studied. Participants found the role-play especially valuable. Modifications for primary care clinics focused on duration rather than content. Future directions include expanding the workshop's content.

Handing Off the Older Patient: Improved Documentation of Geriatric Assessment in Transitions of Care.

OBJECTIVES: To improve assessment and documentation of function, cognition, and advance care planning (ACP) in admission and discharge notes on an Acute Care of the Elderly (ACE) unit. DESIGN: Continuous quality improvement intervention with episodic data review. SETTING: ACE unit of an 866-bed academic tertiary hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Housestaff physicians rotating on the ACE unit (N = 31). INTERVENTION: Introduction of templated notes, housestaff education, leadership outreach, and posted reminders. MEASUREMENTS: Documentation of function, cognition, and ACP were assessed through chart review of a weekly sample of the ACE unit census and scored using predefined criteria. RESULTS: Medical records (N = 172) were reviewed. At baseline, 0% of admission and discharge notes met minimum documentation criteria for all 3 domains (function, cognition, ACP). Documentation of function and cognition was completely absent at baseline. After the intervention, there was marked improvement in all measures, with 64% of admission notes and 94% of discharge notes meeting minimum documentation criteria or better in all 3 domains. CONCLUSION: A quality improvement intervention using geriatric-specific note templates, housestaff training, and reminders increased documentation of function, cognition and ACP for postacute care.