A randomized controlled trial of an online immunization curriculum

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Physician immunization education lacks standardization across residency programs.
• Addressing vaccine concerns in clinical practice requires robust training for physicians-in-training.
• The Collaboration for Vaccination Education and Research (CoVER) developed an online curriculum to standardize this education for pediatric and family medicine residents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the CoVER online curriculum in improving vaccine knowledge, attitudes/hesitancy, and self-confidence among physicians-in-training.
• To assess the impact of a standardized online immunization education program compared to standard training.

Main Methods:

• A cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with 1444 residents across 31 programs.
• The intervention group received the CoVER online curriculum; the control group received standard education.
• Outcomes measured included changes in vaccine knowledge, attitudes/hesitancy, and self-confidence via pre- and post-intervention surveys, analyzed using hierarchical general linear models.

Main Results:

• Overall vaccine knowledge scores increased in both groups, with greater gains observed in the CoVER group for family medicine residents (p=0.041).
• Vaccine hesitancy was more prevalent in family medicine residents (23%) than pediatric residents (10%).
• Residents in the CoVER group demonstrated significantly greater increases in self-confidence discussing vaccines with patients/parents across all residency years (p<0.03).

Conclusions:

• The CoVER curriculum is an effective model for standardizing immunization education for physicians-in-training.
• This RCT supports the CoVER curriculum's ability to enhance resident confidence in vaccine communication.
• Standardized online curricula can improve essential skills for addressing vaccine concerns in clinical settings.