A Small-Group Stratified-Learner Modification of Team-Based Learning (SGSL-TBL) for Resident Education

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Educational Psychology
• Team-Based Learning

Background:

• Postdoctoral education programs face challenges in providing individualized didactic instruction to small resident groups.
• Existing literature lacks data on Team-Based Learning (TBL) outcomes adapted for small resident cohorts or stratified by postgraduate year (PGY).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a modified Team-Based Learning (TBL) approach, Small-Group Stratified-Learner TBL (SGSL-TBL), for resident education.
• To assess the impact of stratifying learning materials based on postgraduate year (PGY) on resident performance and evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a Small-Group Stratified-Learner TBL (SGSL-TBL) model in a postdoctoral education program.
• Stratified advance assignment of reading materials according to resident's postgraduate year (PGY).
• Compared resident performance on individually assigned material versus material assigned to other PGY levels, and analyzed Team Readiness Assurance Test (TRAT) versus Individual Readiness Assurance Test (IRAT) scores.

Main Results:

• Residents demonstrated significantly better performance on material tailored to their PGY level compared to material assigned to other residents (p=0.02), particularly PGY1 residents (p=0.01).
• Group performance on TRAT scores was significantly higher than IRAT scores (p=0.01), indicating effective team learning.
• Overall performance metrics were comparable to traditional TBL formats.

Conclusions:

• Small-Group Stratified-Learner TBL (SGSL-TBL) is an effective method for delivering learner-specific didactic instruction in small resident groups.
• The SGSL-TBL model provides quantitative evaluation data aligned with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) requirements.
• This approach offers a novel tool for assessing resident performance relative to training level and peers in postgraduate programs.