Assessing Residents' Veteran-Centered Care Skills in the Clinical Setting

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Veteran Health
• Mental Health Services

Background:

• Veteran-centered care training for residents in Veterans Health Administration centers is inconsistent.
• Current training and assessment methods are often inadequate.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate internal medicine residents' skills in recognizing and managing mental health issues specific to US military veterans.
• To identify gaps in veteran-centered care competency among residents.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two unannounced standardized patient (SP) cases to assess residents' veteran-centered care skills.
• Assessed 7 domains including military history, communication, mental health screening, and professionalism using a 36-item checklist.
• Compared resident performance across training levels and analyzed self-reported knowledge deficits.

Main Results:

• Residents performed best in professionalism and triage, but scored lowest in recognizing posttraumatic stress disorder and military sexual trauma.
• Ninety-eight residents participated in the assessment, with 53 completing self-assessments.
• Few residents sought additional training beyond the core curriculum for veteran-specific care.

Conclusions:

• Additional education and assessment are crucial for improving residents' competence in veteran-centered care.
• Specific focus is needed on posttraumatic stress disorder and military sexual trauma training.
• Enhancing resident skills in veteran-centered care is essential for improving healthcare outcomes for veterans.