A Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Boot Camp improves trainee confidence

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Pediatric Cardiology

Background:

• Pediatric cardiology trainees require extensive knowledge and skills, often with limited prior exposure.
• A gap exists in preparing new fellows for the complexities of congenital cardiac pathology and diverse practice areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce an intensive 4-week Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Boot Camp (PCBC).
• To provide incoming fellows with broad exposure to congenital cardiac pathology and key areas of pediatric cardiology.

Main Methods:

• Curriculum designed by core faculty across various pediatric cardiology subspecialties.
• Incorporated didactics, hands-on training, simulation, and self-guided learning.
• 16 incoming fellows participated over 2 years with no concurrent clinical duties.

Main Results:

• 80% of trainees felt more prepared for clinical responsibilities post-boot camp.
• Significant increases in trainee confidence across all learning objectives.
• Hands-on and simulation-based activities received the highest ratings.

Conclusions:

• The PCBC effectively enhanced trainee confidence and preparedness for fellowship responsibilities.
• Novel boot camp design successfully exposed fellows to essential pediatric cardiology knowledge and skills.
• Future programs should prioritize interactive, hands-on learning experiences.