Vertical integration in postgraduate teaching for anaesthesiology residents: A questionnaire based descriptive cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Medical education has observed numerous reforms in the last hundred years. While most of the reforms are applied to the undergraduate teaching, postgraduate education and training have lagged behind in keeping the pace. Anesthesiology curriculum has witnessed a few new methods inducted into practice like problem-based learning, flipped classroom etc. We introduced vertical integration with anatomy at our department and assessed its impact. METHODS: After a five-week schedule of integrated anatomy classes, a self-structured questionnaire was circulated amongst the 41 anesthesiology residents to know their perceptions and attitudes towards the classes. Their suggestions were also sought. The responses were analyzed with descriptive statistics (percentages). RESULTS: Thirty-six responses were received leading to a response rate of 87.8%. Fourteen residents (38.9%) believed that the integrated classes would be very helpful in their clinical practice, 20 (55.5%) residents believed them to be helpful while two (5.5%) residents believed that the classes would be little helpful in clinical practice. Hundred percent of the residents recommended the classes to be continued for the future batches. Half of the residents wanted the classes to be conducted twice in the three-year tenure (in the first and last semester) while 11 (30.5%) residents wanted the classes to be conducted every year. Seven (19.4%) residents thought that it's enough to conduct the classes once during the three-year tenure. Resident's suggested that they would like to have integrated classes with other departments like physiology, radiology, emergency medicine etc. CONCLUSION: The integrated classes with anatomy were well perceived by the anesthesiology residents. Vertically integrated curriculum should be introduced in postgraduate training of various specialties for better education and hence, better patient care.