Bridging the gaps for teaching of behavioral and developmental issues in residency training

In 1978, the Task Force on Pediatric Education identified the teaching of developmental and behavioral issues as being deficient in pediatric resident training. As subsequent attempts have been made to address these deficiencies in resident curriculum, there has often been conflict and confusion over what are the best teaching approaches and strategies. This Ambulatory Pediatric Association Workshop, therefore, attempted to identify how developmental and behavioral issues could be best taught. Results from a multicenter questionnaire identified the most useful educational technique as being direct resident involvement in the patient care of children with developmental and/or behavioral problems. This was best accomplished in the outpatient resident continuity clinic. Participants in the workshop concluded that both developmental and behavioral issues could be best taught by a general pediatrician who could function as a generalist, developmentalist and behavioralist while exemplifying high standards of patient care, teaching and research. There was considerably strong consensus among workshop participants that for any curriculum in developmental and behavioral pediatrics to succeed, there must be active support and commitment from the chairman of department of pediatrics.