What Procedures Are Important to General Pediatricians and Why?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pediatric Training
• Procedural Competency

Background:

• General pediatricians (GPeds) infrequently perform Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) required procedures.
• Despite infrequent performance, GPeds consider these procedures important to learn during residency.
• This study addresses the perceived importance, barriers, and desired content of procedural training for GPeds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand why GPeds deem procedural training essential.
• To identify barriers hindering GPeds' procedural skill development and maintenance.
• To determine which procedures GPeds believe should be included in pediatric residency curricula.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-one GPeds were interviewed via semistructured phone calls.
• Interviews explored procedural use in training and current practice across diverse settings.
• Thematic analysis was applied to transcribed interview data.

Main Results:

• GPeds cited practice adaptability, emergency preparedness, patient counseling, access to specialists, and professional identity as reasons for valuing procedural training.
• Significant barriers, including never having learned procedures, impede practical application.
• Recommended procedures ranged from high-risk (e.g., circumcision) to low-risk (e.g., cerumen removal).

Conclusions:

• GPeds recognize the importance of procedural training but face challenges in acquiring and retaining skills.
• Current training methods may not adequately prepare GPeds for practice needs.
• Customized or adapted procedural education is recommended to enhance the clinical relevance of learned skills.