Supervisor and self-ratings of graduates from a medical school with a problem-based learning and standard curriculum...

Medical schools recognize the importance of following up on graduates to evaluate performance during residency. Such performance is of particular interest for schools with problem-based learning (PBL) and conventional curriculum tracks.

Our purposes were to determine any differences in ratings of resident performance in 3 competency areas compared across two different curriculum tracks, 1st and 3rd postgraduate years, and self versus supervisor.

Performance ratings by residents and their supervisors for the 9 years during which 2 curriculum tracks were operative were analyzed using t tests. Effect sizes for statistically significant results were calculated.

Several comparisons found differences, although effect sizes were almost uniformly small. The exception was the rating of self-directed learning habits, in which graduates from the problem-based track rated themselves higher than graduates from the standard curriculum (both Years 1 and 3) and higher than their supervisors in Year 3.

Ratings by supervisors for both groups and both rating times are above average in the rating scale. Supervisors differentiated between the curricula tracks in postgraduate year 3 (PGY-3), rating Standard Curriculum graduates higher than PBL graduates in 5 of 6 noncognitive items and in two of three general ratings. Supervisor ratings increased between PGY-1 and PGY-3 for Standard Curriculum graduates in 9 of the competencies, whereas there were no changes for PBL graduates. In conclusion, performance differences and effect sizes are minimal, and it is possible to conclude that graduates from the 2 curricular tracks achieve at similar levels during their residency programs.