Approach to cardiology residents clinical aptitude evaluation. Multicenter design

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Cardiology Training
• Clinical Aptitude Assessment

Background:

• First multicenter study in Mexico analyzing clinical aptitude development in cardiology training programs.
• Focuses on medical units training cardiologists, addressing a gap in educational research.
• Highlights the importance of assessing clinical skills in specialized medical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the level of clinical aptitude development among cardiology residents.
• Evaluated residents across three High Specialty Medical Units in Mexico.
• Aimed to identify areas for improvement in cardiology residency curricula.

Main Methods:

• Employed a multicenter, cross-sectional design.
• Developed and validated an instrument with 170 items across eight indicators to assess clinical aptitude.
• Included all cardiology residents from the 2019-2020 academic year.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant differences in clinical aptitude indicators were observed across academic sites and residency years.
• Three out of eight indicators showed statistical significance when comparing first-year residents (R1) across all sites.
• Similar patterns were noted for second-year (R2) and third-year (R3) residents, indicating varied skill development.

Conclusions:

• Cardiology residents at the studied Mexican institutions demonstrate an intermediate level of clinical aptitude.
• The assessment instrument, focusing on problematized clinical situations, likely prompted critical reflection on resident experiences.
• Findings suggest a need for training methodologies that foster deeper critical thinking in clinical practice.