Women's health for a primary care workforce

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Internal Medicine Training
• Women's Health Services

Background:

• Primary care physicians, particularly internal medicine specialists, are crucial for delivering reproductive health services.
• Existing literature lacks detailed descriptions of implementing longitudinal women's health training for internal medicine residents.
• There is a need to enhance resident competency in providing comprehensive women's health care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of a 2-year women's health training pathway within an Internal Medicine residency program.
• To evaluate the effectiveness and participant satisfaction with the longitudinal women's health training.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) model for a comprehensive evaluation framework.
• Employed Kirkpatrick's Model alongside the CIPP framework for qualitative data analysis.
• Conducted interviews with six pathway participants and practicing clinicians to assess training fidelity, relevance, and impact.

Main Results:

• Participants reported high fidelity, relevance, and appropriateness of the training to their needs.
• Practicing clinicians confirmed the training's relevance, usefulness, and effectiveness in achieving knowledge and integrated care goals.
• Trainees experienced benefits including identity formation and the development of a community of practice.

Conclusions:

• Longitudinal training pathways are effective for preparing Internal Medicine residents to deliver comprehensive women's health care.
• The study provides a replicable model for implementing and evaluating complex educational interventions in healthcare settings.
• Further research and dissemination are needed to train a workforce capable of providing lifelong, evidence-based care for women.