Radiation Oncology Resident Evaluations: Current Methods and Resident Perceptions.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Radiation Oncology
• Assessment Methods

Background:

• Current assessment methods in radiation oncology (RO) residency are varied.
• Resident perceptions of these methods are crucial for effective training.
• Familiarity with evaluation tools may influence their perceived utility and impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze characteristics of existing assessment methods in RO.
• To report resident perceptions of these evaluation methods.
• To determine if familiarity with evaluations predicts perceived utility and behavioral changes.

Main Methods:

• Phase 1: Analyzed evaluation forms from 13 RO residency programs assessing 6 Core Competencies.
• Phase 2: Surveyed RO residents on familiarity with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Milestones and perceptions of current methods.
• Statistical analyses included ANOVA and linear regression models.

Main Results:

• Evaluation forms varied in question count, with significant institutional differences in assessing competencies.
• A majority of residents reported low familiarity with competencies (59.6%) and assessment factors (73.1%).
• Familiarity with evaluation methods did not significantly predict perceived usefulness, likelihood of change, intimidation, or stress.

Conclusions:

• Familiarity with evaluation methods is not correlated with resident perceptions or behavioral changes.
• Further investigation into alternative predictor variables for evaluation effectiveness is needed.
• Despite low familiarity, residents generally perceive current evaluation methods as useful and likely to influence practice.