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Emergency medicine residency training in electrocardiogram interpretation
1Washington University School of Medicine, Division of Emergency Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Summary
Most emergency medicine residency programs have an electrocardiogram (ECG) curriculum, but few test competency. Program directors generally oppose national ECG competency standards, posing challenges for accreditation requirements.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Emergency Medicine
- Cardiology
Background:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation is a critical skill for emergency medicine (EM) physicians.
- Standardized training and evaluation in ECG interpretation are essential for resident competency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To survey EM residency program directors (PDs) on current ECG training and evaluation practices.
- To assess PDs' attitudes towards establishing national criteria for ECG competency.
Main Methods:
- A national survey of 122 EM PDs was conducted using an eight-question survey.
- The survey queried formal ECG curricula, teaching formats, assessment methods, and opinions on national standards.
Main Results:
- 87 (71.3%) programs responded; 64.4% had a formal ECG curriculum.
- Only 20.7% of programs tested ECG competency, and 11.5% required it for graduation.
- 48.3% supported a national curriculum, but a majority opposed a national exam or graduation requirement.
Conclusions:
- A formal ECG curriculum is common, but formal competency testing and requirements are rare in EM residencies.
- Most EM PDs oppose national ECG examination or competency requirements for graduation.
- PDs' current stance presents challenges for implementing ACGME competency directives.