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The nature of general surgery resident performance problems
Reed G Williams1, Nicole K Roberts, Cathy J Schwind
1Department of Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, 800 North Rutledge Street, Springfield, IL 62794-9638, USA. rwilliams@siumed.edu
Surgery
|June 3, 2009
Summary
Identifying and classifying resident performance problems is crucial for effective remediation. Many issues, particularly professional behavior and knowledge deficits, emerge early and persist, suggesting a need for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Residency Training
- Performance Assessment
Background:
- Performance problems among residents pose significant challenges for program directors, peers, and healthcare providers.
- Effective remediation requires accurate diagnosis of the nature of these performance issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify residents with serious, substantive, and recurring academic, clinical, or professional behavior problems.
- To describe and classify the nature of these identified performance problems.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective record review of general surgery residents over 30 years.
- Independent review, description, and classification of residents with substantial performance problems by three raters.
Main Results:
- Seventeen residents met criteria for serious performance problems.
- Common issues included relations with healthcare workers, insufficient knowledge, and poor communication.
- 82% of problems were identified in the first year, with many remaining unresolved.
Conclusions:
- Resident performance problems may be refractory to current remediation or existing treatments are not well-suited.
- Developing targeted remediation strategies based on specific problem patterns is necessary.
