New Resident Assessment Standards Slow to Catch On

NAPLES, Fla.-New mandated requirements for residents at hospitals require the young specialists to do a lot more than just attend classes; they have to be able to demonstrate that they have achieved some proficiency in specific areas of medicine.

However, the new requirements go well beyond just making sure residents are able to demonstrate proficiency. Their mentors and administrators have to be able to rate how well the residents are doing, said Brian Jewett, MD, Assistant Professor of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Miami, Fl.

Survey Highlights Knowledge Gap

Furthermore a recent survey indicates that residents, faculty, and program directors are all uneasy about how well they can evaluate the skills that residents should be obtaining, Dr. Jewett said at the Triological Society’s Southern Section Meeting here.

He said that he and his colleagues sought to evaluate the degree of implementation of these requirements in otolaryngology residency programs. All program directors were surveyed to determine their methods for assessing residents’ attainment of competency-based learning objectives.

The Web-based survey was sent to 102 program directors; 39 of those directors responded. Dr. Jewett then performed an analysis to determine faculty and resident knowledge about assessing these competencies. The results he shared with the Triological Society indicated that there is room for improvement. He found:

• About 77% of residents and 33% faculty were not aware of the six general competencies;
• None of the residents or faculty could list all six general competencies; however
• The majority could identify some or all of the competencies from a list.

Those six general competencies, include:

Patient care: that residents are making informed decisions about diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, that they are developing and carrying out patient management plans, and that they are capable of performing procedures competently.

Medical knowledge: that residents develop analytical thinking regarding treatment issues and that they can apply basic and clinically supportive sciences to basic care.

Professionalism: that residents are familiar with the ethical principles pertaining to provision or withholding of clinical care, confidentiality of patient information, issues of informed consent, and business practices, and can demonstrate respect, compassion, and integrity.

Communication skills: that residents are able to give effective information exchange; will develop effective listening skills with the patient; will develop effective nonverbal, explanatory, questioning, and writing skills.

System-based practice: that residents understand the context in which they practice medicine, including how to partner with health care managers and service providers, and understand their social accountability by being cost conscious and by being aware of community resources.