Twelve tips for developing and maintaining a remediation program in medical education

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Training
• Clinical Competence

Background:

• Remediation in medical education addresses physician trainees' competence gaps.
• Current unstructured approaches to remediation are resource-intensive.
• Most trainees undergoing remediation will become practicing physicians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To guide medical education program leaders in developing effective remediation systems.
• To emphasize the importance of structured remediation for competency-based medical education.
• To share insights from a decade of remediation experience and expert input.

Main Methods:

• Synthesizing a decade of remediation experience across three institutions.
• Incorporating input from 34 interdisciplinary North American experts.
• Developing 12 actionable tips for organizing remediation plans.

Main Results:

• Structured remediation systems are essential for physician trainees.
• Expert consensus and practical experience inform effective remediation strategies.
• Improved remediation systems facilitate the transition to competency-based medical education.

Conclusions:

• Program leaders should implement structured remediation plans for struggling trainees.
• Effective remediation is key to ensuring physician competence.
• Developing robust remediation systems supports the shift to competency-based medical education.