How Prepared Are They? Pediatric Boot Camps and Intern Performance

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Research
• Pediatric Residency Training
• Internship Performance Evaluation

Background:

• Medical school boot camps and pediatric electives are common experiences for aspiring pediatricians.
• The impact of these preparatory experiences on early intern performance is not well-established.
• Assessing the association between pre-internship training and performance is crucial for curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if pediatric boot camp participation in medical school correlates with improved intern performance.
• To investigate associations between general boot camps, pediatric subinternships, electives, and intern performance.
• To identify specific preparatory experiences that may enhance early residency success.

Main Methods:

• Surveys collected data from pediatric residents on their participation in various pre-internship programs.
• Faculty performance assessments utilized Milestone-based subcompetencies rated on a 5-point scale.
• Data from 198 interns with complete assessments were analyzed to compare performance between groups.

Main Results:

• No significant associations were found between participation in pediatric boot camps (≥5 days), general boot camps, subinternships, or electives and overall intern performance.
• Interns completing at least 10 days of pediatric boot camp showed slightly higher ratings in feedback incorporation and help-seeking behavior during the initial months (June-July).

Conclusions:

• Pre-internship experiences like boot camps and electives do not appear to substantially enhance intern performance in core competencies.
• Pediatric educators should critically review boot camp content and expected outcomes.
• Further research may be needed to refine curricula for optimal intern preparedness.