Evaluation of developmental/behavioral training in primary care

Area of Science:

• Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
• Medical Education
• Pediatric Residency Training

Background:

• Developmental and behavioral pediatrics (DBP) is crucial for pediatric primary care.
• Assessing the impact of residency training tracks on DBP knowledge and attitudes is important for curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the knowledge, perceived competence, and attitudes towards DBP between primary care and regular track pediatric residents.
• To evaluate the progression of these measures throughout the residency program.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study design was employed within a single pediatric residency program.
• Knowledge, perceived competence, and attitudes regarding DBP were assessed at the beginning and end of residency.
• Primary care and regular track residents were the two groups under comparison.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in DBP knowledge or competence were observed between the two resident groups upon program entry.
• Both primary care and regular track residents demonstrated significant knowledge and competence gains over the residency period.
• Primary care residents exhibited significantly greater progress in DBP knowledge and competence compared to regular track residents.
• Primary care residents consistently rated the relevance of DBP issues higher than regular track residents throughout their training.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric residency training enhances DBP knowledge and competence in both primary care and regular tracks.
• The primary care track appears to foster greater development in DBP compared to the regular track.
• Findings support tailored curricula to optimize DBP training for future pediatric primary care providers.