A Systems-Based Practice Curriculum in Orthopaedics: Successes and Challenges Moving Forward

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Systems Science
• Graduate Medical Education

Background:

• Teaching systems-based practice competency is challenging in graduate medical education.
• Inconsistencies exist in educational content, delivery, and assessment across institutions.
• A 2-week health systems curriculum was developed for orthopaedic surgery residents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel 2-week health systems curriculum for orthopaedic surgery residents.
• To assess resident perceptions of the educational value and applicability of the health systems rotation.
• To foster a patient-centered perspective and identify areas for healthcare system improvement.

Main Methods:

• A 2-week health systems rotation was implemented for postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) residents.
• Residents observed patient care to understand the healthcare system from a patient's perspective.
• Learning experiences included patient observation, literature review, written summaries, and anonymous evaluations using a Likert scale.

Main Results:

• Residents rated the experience highly, with mean scores of 8.2 for educational value and 8.3 for additive value to undergraduate medical education.
• Resident feedback indicated the course was helpful and inspired them to consider healthcare system changes.
• The curriculum successfully provided a foundation for understanding health systems.

Conclusions:

• The health systems rotation for PGY-1 residents is a valuable learning experience.
• The curriculum provides a strong foundation for subsequent years of residency training.
• The program encourages residents to actively contribute to improving healthcare systems.