The Academic Half-Day redesigned: Improving generalism, promoting CanMEDS and developing self-directed learners

The Montreal Children's Hospital Pediatric Residency Program redesigned its Academic Half-Day based on program concerns consistent with the published literature. These concerns included inadequate preparation for general paediatric practice, gaps in CanMEDS education and exclusive use of didactic lectures. Novel instructional methods included monthly simulation sessions to learn CanMEDS competencies, increased use of general paediatricians as instructors, implementation of a 'systems-based' curriculum and development of self-directed learning skills through activities such as 'Residents as Teachers'.

A postimplementation online survey was sent to all 18 residents who had been exposed to both curricula. The survey was designed to determine the impact of the new curriculum on their perceived ability to retain information and acquire the competencies of a general paediatrician, and to assess the effect on their self-directed learning. Responses were recorded on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 'strongly disagree' to 'strongly agree'.

Fourteen of 18 (78%) residents completed the survey. All residents preferred the 'systems-based' educational program. Seventy-nine percent of all residents agreed that the simulation sessions were an effective method of learning the CanMEDS competencies. Importantly, 64% of residents voluntarily read more about the topics presented and 71% agreed that they retained the content better. Moreover, 79% believed that changes made to the teaching curriculum better prepared them for a general paediatric practice and 64% of residents believed that it better 'supplements' learning in the clinical setting.

The authors propose that the new curriculum is comprehensive, while developing the skills required for life-long learning as a general paediatrician.