The reflective statement: a new tool to assess resident learning.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Curriculum Assessment

Background:

• Continuous curriculum assessment is vital for effective surgical education.
• Reflective statements from residents can offer insights into curriculum strengths and weaknesses.
• This study aimed to evaluate the utility of resident reflections in assessing surgical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a surgical curriculum by analyzing resident reflections on their learning experiences.
• To identify the most frequently learned core competencies and the primary learning environments.
• To explore the relationship between postgraduate year (PGY) level and learning experiences.

Main Methods:

• Residents completed surveys detailing their "best thing learned," location, and source of learning.
• Learning experiences were categorized into core competencies and learning environments (clinic, conference, OR, wards, self).
• Statistical analysis (chi-squared) was used to compare learning patterns across PGY levels and environments.

Main Results:

• Patient care and knowledge were the most commonly reported competencies learned.
• Experiential learning (wards and operating room) constituted the majority of learning.
• Learning on wards decreased with higher PGY levels, while operating room learning increased; professionalism learning also increased with PGY level.

Conclusions:

• Patient care and knowledge are key learning outcomes in surgical residency.
• Experiential learning is dominant, with self-directed learning playing a minimal role.
• Learning experiences and sources vary significantly by PGY level, suggesting tailored educational approaches are necessary.