An Interprofessional Group Intervention to Promote Faculty Well-Being: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the effect on engagement, relational connection, and burnout of an intervention involving clinical faculty meeting in interprofessional self-facilitated groups and to determine whether a written discussion guide is necessary to achieve benefit. METHODS: This is a randomized controlled trial, conducted at a large US academic medical center from May to August 2018. Subjects included 25 clinical physicians, nurse practitioners, and certified nurse midwives. The intervention involved three monthly self-facilitated groups for faculty. Groups were randomized to have no discussion guide, or to receive a one-page guide. Outcomes of burnout, engagement, and empowerment in work, and stress from uncertainty were assessed using validated metrics. RESULTS: Rates of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization decreased significantly over the course of the 3-month study (56%-36%; P < .001; and 20%-15%; P = .006) and overall burnout decreased from 56% to 41% of faculty (P = .002). The percentage of faculty who felt engaged in their work increased from 80% to 96% (P = .03). No statistically significant differences in empowerment at work or in reaction to uncertainty were seen. The groups without a discussion guide had equivalent outcomes and benefits. Cost per participant was under $100. DISCUSSION: A three-month, low-cost, self-facilitated series of dinner meetings for interprofessional clinical faculty decreased burnout and improved engagement, sense of connection to colleagues, and sense of departmental commitment to well-being. Structured discussion guides were not necessary to achieve benefit. This study broadens the possibilities for cost-effective opportunities to transform institutional culture and effectively enhance faculty well-being.

The "Medical Education Roadshow:" Delivering Faculty Development to Busy Clinician Educators When They Least Expect It.

INTRODUCTION: Designing impactful faculty development for busy clinicians is challenging. Many may not recognize their impact on the learning environment or prioritize their development as educators. Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a faculty development approach, the "Medical Education Roadshow," which delivered succinct, actionable faculty development at regularly scheduled, departmental clinical business meetings. METHODS: Between October 2018 and October 2019, we conducted six 15-minute "roadshows" for the Obstetrics and Gynecology faculty at one academic medical center. Each roadshow addressed a foundational education topic in an interactive manner with an emphasis on one take-away skill in teaching behavior. We utilized a simple, anonymous evaluation tool to obtain participant feedback and analyzed quantitative data descriptively and qualitative data thematically. RESULTS: A total of 174 of 265 evaluations were returned (65.6% response rate). Participants indicated that the roadshows helped them think about teaching more effectively and offered one or more practical daily practice tips. Qualitative findings coalesced into two themes. First, participants identified multiple intended practice changes, including using more effective teaching strategies, being more deliberate about feedback, and modeling exemplary professional behavior. Second, participants recommended multiple improvement opportunities and future topics. DISCUSSION: Busy clinical faculty were highly receptive to opportunities to improve as educators through the "roadshow" approach.

Building Your "Educational Peloton:" Cycling Together for Success During Uncertain Times.

ABSTRACT: Burnout is a pervasive concern that negatively impacts physicians, patients, and healthcare organizations. Stress, uncertainty, clinical demands, and rapidly changing teams threaten the learning environment, where connection is key to resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic amplifies these challenges. Building an "educational peloton" to provide a safe and protective educational community may help optimize learning and team performance. Easily implementable strategies include: (1) Maximize learning opportunities, particularly small ones; (2) Ensure quality feedback; and (3) Facilitate collegiality. Intentionally nurturing an "educational peloton"-especially during times of uncertainty and change-can help drive engagement and work satisfaction, which can improve patient safety and healthcare outcomes, as well as boost human connection and promote community.

Guided Self-Assessment and Action Plans: What Do Residents Need to Succeed?

Resident feedback and program evaluation are essential to ACGME-accredited training programs. We sought to integrate these requirements into our program by creating a systematic process for program improvement focusing on personal learning plans (PLPs). Residents completed a PLP tool every 6 months, followed by an evaluation completed with the program director. Among respondents, 96% reported the PLP process provided useful feedback. A majority found the PLP process useful in developing learning strategies and modeling lifelong learning. The integrated PLP/program improvement process serves as an effective strategy for quickly identifying and capitalizing on both individual and program opportunities for improvement.

Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise in the Era of Milestones and Entrustable Professional Activities in Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Resume or Reform?

OBJECTIVE: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) milestones and the core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) provide guiding frameworks and requirements for assessing residents' progress. The Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX) is a formative assessment tool used to provide direct observation after an ambulatory or clinical encounter. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and reliability of the Mini-CEX in the authors' obstetrics and gynaecology (OB/GYN) residency program and its ability to measure residents' progress and competencies in the frameworks of ACGME milestones and EPAs. METHODS: OB/GYN residents' 5-academic-year Mini-CEX performance was analyzed retrospectively to measure reliability and feasibility. Additionally, realistic evaluation was conducted to assess the usefulness of Mini-CEX in the frameworks of ACGME milestones and EPAs. RESULTS: A total of 395 Mini-CEX evaluations for 49 OB/GYN residents were analyzed. Mini-CEX evaluation data significantly discriminated among residents' training levels (P < 0.003). Residents had an average of 8.1 evaluations per resident completed; 10% of second-year residents and 28% of third-year residents were evaluated 10 or more times per year, whereas no postgraduate year 1 or postgraduate year 4 residents achieved this number. Mini-CEX data could contribute to all 6 primary measurement domains of OB/GYN milestones and 8 of 10 EPAs required for first-year residents. CONCLUSION: The Mini-CEX demonstrated potential for measuring residents' clinical competencies in their ACGME milestones. Faculty time commitment was the main challenge. Reform is necessary for the current feedback structure in Mini-CEX, faculty development, and operational guidelines that help residency programs match residents' clinical competency ratings with ACGME milestones and EPAs.

Pregnancy and parental leave among obstetrics and gynecology residents: results of a nationwide survey of program directors.

BACKGROUND: The health and economic benefits of paid parental leave have been well-documented. In 2016, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released a policy statement about recommended parental leave for trainees; however, data on adoption of said guidelines are nonexistent, and published data on parental leave policies in obstetrics-gynecology are outdated. The objective of our study was to understand existing parental leave policies in obstetrics-gynecology training programs and to evaluate program director opinions on these policies and on parenting in residency. OBJECTIVE: A Web-based survey regarding parental leave policies and coverage practices was sent to all program directors of accredited US obstetrics-gynecology residency programs. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional Web-based survey. RESULTS: Sixty-five percent (163/250) of program directors completed the survey. Most program directors (71%) were either not aware of or not familiar with the recommendations of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 2016 policy statement on parental leave. Nearly all responding programs (98%) had arranged parental leave for ≥1 residents in the past 5 years. Formal leave policies for childbearing and nonchildbearing parents exist at 83% and 55% of programs, respectively. Program directors reported that, on average, programs offer shorter parental leaves than program directors think trainees should receive. Coverage for residents on leave is most often provided by co-residents (98.7%), usually without compensation or schedule rearrangement to reduce work hours at another time (45.4%). Most program directors (82.8%) believed that becoming a parent negatively affected resident performance, and approximately one-half of the program directors believed that having a child in residency decreased well-being (50.9%), although 19.0% believed that it increased resident well-being. Qualitative responses were mixed and highlighted the complex challenges and competing priorities related to parental leave. CONCLUSION: Most residency programs are not aligned with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommendations on paid parental leave in residency. Complex issues regarding conflicting policies, burden to covering co-residents, and impaired training were raised.

New Challenges for a Core Procedure: Development of a Faculty Workshop for Skills Maintenance for Abdominal Hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development of a low-cost educational module for OB/GYN faculty skills maintenance for total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH), a low frequency core procedure in obstetrics and gynecology. DESIGN: After review of existing educational tools and utilization of a modified Delphi method to establish consensus regarding key procedural components for skills maintenance, a 2-hour workshop was developed to review knowledge and participate in a simulation focused on the critical steps in performing TAH. An expert in TAH delivered a lecture highlighting important surgical considerations. Participants then rotated through simulation stations for critical steps in TAH: dissecting the bladder, identifying the ureter, and closing the cuff. Knowledge gains were assessed with a written pre- and posttest. Consecutive focus groups were conducted with participants on effectiveness of the workshop, and suggestions for improvement. Ideas identified in the first focus group were incorporated into the second workshop. SETTING: Massachusetts General Hospital, an academic tertiary care facility with a single Obstetrics and Gynecology faculty group, located in Boston, Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Eligible participants were recruited via email from full time specialists in General Obstetrics and Gynecology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Of the 25 eligible gynecology faculty subjects, 22 participated (88%). RESULTS: On pre or post-test comparison, 70% of participants scored higher on the posttest, demonstrating an increase in knowledge of critical TAH surgical steps. Focus group analyses identified the need for increased review and training demonstrations of TAH, and recommended continued offering of the workshop. CONCLUSIONS: Based on focus group responses and pre or posttest comparisons, the workshop was deemed feasible and enhanced short-term learning. Future directions include utilizing more challenging anatomic models and simulation scenarios and optimizing integration of expert demonstration and individualized coaching, as well as identifying regionally tailored surgical workshop programming.

So Tired: Predictive Utility of Baseline Sleep Screening in a Longitudinal Observational Survey Cohort of First-Year Residents.

BACKGROUND: Sleep impairment is highly prevalent among resident physicians and is associated with both adverse patient outcomes and poor resident mental and physical health. Risk factors for sleep problems during residency are less clear, and no screening model exists to identify residents at risk for sleep impairment. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess change in resident sleep during training and to evaluate utility of baseline sleep screening in predicting future sleep impairment. DESIGN: This is a prospective observational repeated-measures survey study. PARTICIPANTS: The participants comprised PGY-1 residents across multiple specialties at Partners HealthCare hospitals. MAIN MEASURES: Main measures used for this study were demographic queries and two validated scales: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), measuring sleep quality, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), measuring excessive daytime sleepiness. KEY RESULTS: Two hundred eighty-one PGY-1 residents completed surveys at residency orientation, and 153 (54%) completed matched surveys 9 months later. Mean nightly sleep time decreased from 7.6 to 6.5 hours (p < 0.001). Mean PSQI score increased from 3.6 to 5.2 (p < 0.001), and mean ESS score increased from 7.2 to 10.4 (p < 0.001). The proportion of residents exceeding the scales' clinical cutoffs increased over time from 15 to 40% on the PSQI (p < 0.001) and from 26 to 59% on the ESS (p < 0.001). Baseline normal sleep was not protective: 68% of residents with normal scores on both scales at baseline exceeded the clinical cutoff on at least one scale at follow-up. Greater age and fewer children increased follow-up PSQI score (p < 0.001) but not ESS score. CONCLUSIONS: During PGY-1 training, residents experience worsening sleep duration, quality of sleep, and daytime sleepiness. Residents with baseline impaired sleep tend to remain impaired. Moreover, many residents with baseline normal sleep experience sleep deterioration over time. Sleep screening at residency orientation may identify some, but not all, residents who will experience sleep impairment during training.

Vacuum-Assisted Closure for Episiotomy Dehiscence.

BACKGROUND: Episiotomy dehiscence can result in a large vulvovaginal defect not amenable to delayed primary closure. CASE: A 26-year-old woman who underwent a forceps-assisted vaginal delivery with mediolateral episiotomy presented on postpartum day 5 with complete wound breakdown. Surgical exploration of the wound revealed a defect extending from the perineum into the vagina and deep into the ischiorectal fossa with poor tissue quality not amenable to a timely delayed primary closure. A vacuum-assisted closure device was used in lieu of traditional wound preparation and resulted in wound closure after 11 days of vacuum-assisted wound therapy. CONCLUSION: A vacuum-assisted closure device may be appropriate in cases of complex episiotomy breakdown and may expedite wound healing in the outpatient setting.

Levatorplasty for Symptomatic Posterior Prolapse due to Recurrent Malignant Ascites.

BACKGROUND: Although infrequently described, massive ascites due to malignancy contributes to symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse. CASE: A 73-year-old woman with recurrent ovarian cancer and massive ascites underwent a levatorplasty for repair of posterior prolapse after failing conservative management. CONCLUSIONS: Management of patient with cancer with prolapse is complex. Patients with cancer with ascites also have pelvic organ prolapse, in addition to other, better described sequelae of increased intra-abdominal pressure. These patients should be treated specifically for prolapse, with therapy, including type of surgery, chosen with special consideration of their underlying disease.

Gynecologic Oncologist as surgical consultant: intraoperative consultations during general gynecologic surgery as an important focus of gynecologic oncology training.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to explore the previously unexamined role of the Gynecologic Oncologist as an intraoperative consultant during general gynecologic surgery. METHODS: Demographic and clinical data were collected on 98 major gynecologic surgeries that included both a general Gynecologist and a Gynecologic Oncologist between October 2010 and August 2014. Data were analyzed using XLSTAT-Prov2014.2.02. RESULTS: Of 794 major gynecologic surgeries, 98 (12.3%) cases that involved an intraoperative consultation were identified. There were 36 (37%) planned consults and 62 (63%) unplanned consults. Significantly more planned consults were during laparoscopy (100% v 58%; p<0.01) and significantly more unplanned consults were during laparotomy (42% v 0%; p<0.01). The majority of planned consults were for surgical training (86%) and the most common reasons for unplanned consults were adhesions (40%), bowel injury (19%), inability to identify ureter (19%), and cancer (11%). The most common interventions performed during unplanned consults were identification of anatomy (55%), lysis of adhesions (42%), and retroperitoneal dissection (27%). Average surgeon years in practice were significantly lower for unplanned consults (9 v 15; p<0.01). A total of 25 major adverse events occurred in 15 cases with the majority occurring in cases with unplanned consults (23% v 3%; p<0.01). After controlling for laparotomy, unplanned consultation was not significantly associated with major events (OR=6.67, 95%CI 0.69-64.39; p=0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Gynecologic Oncologists play a pivotal role in the support of generalist colleagues during pelvic surgery. In this series, Gynecologic Oncologists were consulted frequently for complex major benign surgeries. It is important to incorporate the skills required of an intraoperative consultant into Gynecologic Oncology fellowship training.

Credentialing based on surgical volume, physician workforce challenges, and patient access.

Advances within the medical profession have resulted in an increase in available medical therapeutic options and minimally invasive surgical techniques for common gynecologic conditions. In many circumstances, this has led to a reduction in surgical volume for many common conditions in benign gynecology. There is also some evidence that a threshold number of cases may exist, below which surgical competence may be affected. Although the practice of medicine continues to evolve, there is broad recognition of a projected workforce shortage of physicians. If credentialing or privileging bodies establish criteria based solely on the number of procedures performed by an individual physician, patient access may be greatly affected. From a public health perspective, these issues cannot be considered in isolation. Thoughtful analysis of existing data and recognition of patient access issues should be carefully weighed before any dramatic changes in hospital privileging or hiring practices. Consideration for ongoing maintenance of credentialing should be carefully balanced and strategies for ongoing assurance of competency may require creative alternatives to simple numerical documentation. Differential approaches to regions with different densities of physicians may also be necessary.

Baseline sleep dysfunction among matriculating interns.

BACKGROUND: Work hour limitations for graduate medical trainees, motivated by concerns about patient safety, quality of care, and trainee well-being, continue to generate controversy. Little information about sleep habits and the prevalence of sleep disorders among residents is available to inform policy in this area. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the sleep habits of matriculating residents, postgraduate year-1 (PGY-1). DESIGN: An anonymous, voluntary, self-administered survey study was used with 3 validated questionnaires: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Insomnia Severity Index, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, which were fielded to PGY-1 residents entering the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited programs at Massachusetts General Hospital and/or Brigham and Women's Hospitals in June and July 2009. RESULTS: Of 355 eligible subjects, 310 (87%) participated. Mean sleep time for PGY-1 residents was 7 hours and 34 minutes, and 5.6% of PGY-1 residents had Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index global scores greater than 5, indicating poor quality sleep. Using multiple linear and ordinal logistic regression models, men had higher Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index sleep latency scores, whereas women and those with children had higher Epworth Sleepiness Scale daytime sleepiness scores, and 18% of PGY-1 residents had abnormal amounts of daytime sleepiness based on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. The Insomnia Severity Index identified 4.2% of PGY-1 residents with moderate insomnia. CONCLUSIONS: Some PGY-1 residents may begin residency with sleep dysfunctions. Efforts to provide targeted help to selected trainees in managing fatigue during residency should be investigated.

Mobilizing faculty for simulation.

Faculty involvement in simulation training is essential for curriculum development, utilization of their clinical expertise in teaching, and ultimately for validating the importance of the training program. Several barriers to faculty involvement exist, including competing demands on time, the challenges in developing curriculum, and teaching using simulation. Through our experiences in implementing a widely expansive program, we have identified several areas to encourage and engage faculty. Further discussion as a medical education community is needed to support the interaction and involvement of our faculty to support and promote ongoing simulation education.

Residents as teachers of the pelvic floor and perineal anatomy.

CONTEXT: : As much as 50% of teaching is conducted by residents with limited clinical experience, pedagogical acumen or knowledge of the subject they teach. OBJECTIVE: : The purpose was to develop a residents-as-teachers program that integrated a basic science curriculum of the pelvic floor and perineal anatomy with clinical correlations while instructing residents in certain clinical and pedagogical skills. DESIGN: : A resident-as-teacher curriculum that focused on both the pedagogy and content related to pelvic floor and perineal anatomy was designed and collaboratively implemented by an anatomist, obstetrics/gynecology clinicians and a professional educator. It was implemented 4 times, with each session offered as a 3-hour training. A mixed-methods research design was used to study the impact of the resident-as-teacher program on the residents. SETTING: : A medical school anatomy laboratory. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS: : A total of 51 residents in the Brigham and Women's Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital Integrated Residency Training Program in Obstetrics and Gynecology (PG-1, -2, -3 and -4) and 4 Harvard Medical School students. INTERVENTIONS: : Four 3-hour resident-as-teacher curricular sessions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: : To understand the impact of an innovative resident-as-teacher curriculum on Obstetrics and Gynecology residents. RESULTS: : The intervention significantly affected the residents' knowledge of pelvic floor and perineal anatomy and significantly increased the residents' comfort level with teaching pelvic floor and perineal anatomy. All the residents agreed that learning how to teach using clinical correlations and integrating the laboratory experience were excellent and that it was beneficial to be taught by the combination of clinical, anatomical and educational faculty. CONCLUSIONS: : Teaching residents how to teach using a hands-on anatomical laboratory experience relevant to their daily work was overwhelmingly positive. The recommendation was to continue the program and implement the session at least biannually.

Smaller pieces of the hysterectomy pie: current challenges in resident surgical education.

Residents in obstetrics and gynecology are increasingly confronted with a wider range of techniques that must be mastered to perform hysterectomy, including abdominal, vaginal, laparoscopic, and robotic approaches. This is accompanied by a decrease in the number of hysterectomies performed annually. Possible solutions to the dilemma created for surgical teaching includes a comprehensive program evaluating surgical competency by establishing numbers needed to achieve competency for specific major procedures.

Evaluation of a formal mentoring program in an obstetrics and gynecology residency training program: resident feedback and suggestions.

OBJECTIVE: A formal mentoring program for residents was introduced at our Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2004. The objective of this study was to assess residents' attitudes toward and suggestions for the mentoring program. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire with Likert-scaled questions on multiple areas of the program was distributed to all residents. The responses were scored with a rating of 0, 1, and 2, and mean ratings were calculated. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: The response rate was 28 of 40 (70.0%). Areas of the mentoring program deemed most important were "career planning" (mean score 1.85) and "scientific research" (1.51). The most negative aspects of the program were "lack of time" of the mentees (1.57) and the mentors (1.29). When matching mentees with mentors, the most important factors were "specialty/subspecialty" (1.71), "research interests"(1.65), "personality"(1.54), and the "ability to pick one's own mentor"(1.31). The majority of respondents (9 of 14, 64.3%) welcomed e-mail reminders to set up meetings with their mentor. These data have resulted in significant changes in our mentoring program. Future directions include continued surveillance of our program and collaboration between different residency programs in order to maximize the benefit of the resident mentor program.