A clinical laboratory program to improve performance of resident physicians.

ABSTRACT

In summary residents entering our program lacked many basic clinical laboratory skills. Without an organized curriculum in this area, residents make marginal or no gains in competence. A clinical laboratory program which is accessible and clinically relevant does influence residents' knowledge and skills. Whether supervised performance of tests or didactic teaching was responsible for improved test results in our residents remains to be determined. This is important to determine because of the financial restraints of most programs and the demands already present on most residents' time.