Flattening the Learning Curve: A Case-Based Video Orientation for a Subspeciality Residency Rotation

To determine whether a clinically focused rotation orientation delivered through e-learning videos would be an effective method to improve residents' clinical knowledge and confidence.

A pre-post study design evaluated for change in knowledge and confidence between a control and intervention group of residents assigned to outpatient pediatric endocrinology rotations at 2 residency programs from July 2017 to March 2019. The intervention group utilized the first morning of the rotation to complete the video curriculum designed to rapidly orient residents to common clinical management tasks in outpatient pediatric endocrinology.

A total of 35 of 41 residents (85%) completed the study (control group: 18/19 [95%]; intervention group: 17/22 [77%]). Score increase from pretest to post-test was significantly higher for intervention group compared to control group (+24.7% ± 12.1 vs +5.8% ± 7.9, P < .0001). Confidence increases were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to control group in 3 of 5 topics. Two themes illustrated residents' perspectives of this e-learning curriculum: 1) increase in foundational clinical knowledge and 2) improvement in efficiency of learning and patient care.

This clinically focused rotation orientation delivered through e-learning videos was an effective method to improve residents' clinical knowledge, without reliance on faculty to deliver this orientation throughout the academic year. Further studies should be pursued in various settings.