Incorporating Telemedicine in Rheumatology Fellowship Training Programs: Needs Assessment, Curricular Intervention,...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Rheumatology
• Telehealth

Background:

• Rheumatology fellows in training (FITs) require enhanced virtual care (VC) skills for independent practice.
• Existing training may not adequately address the nuances of delivering rheumatology care via telemedicine.
• Gaps in FITs' virtual care delivery skills were identified through performance assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To increase the confidence of rheumatology fellows in training (FITs) in delivering virtual care (VC).
• To prepare FITs for independent practice by addressing identified gaps in telemedicine skills.
• To develop and evaluate targeted educational materials for improving VC delivery.

Main Methods:

• Identified telemedicine skill gaps using a virtual rheumatology objective structured clinical examination (vROSCE) and pre-intervention surveys.
• Developed educational materials including "mediocre" and "excellent" virtual care examples, reflection questions, and best practice summaries.
• Assessed changes in FITs' confidence levels using post-intervention surveys.

Main Results:

• FITs demonstrated skill gaps in several Rheumatology Telehealth Competency domains during the vROSCE.
• Confidence levels significantly improved for 65% of questions assessed post-intervention.
• The majority of FITs found the educational materials helpful and reported implementing learned skills into practice.

Conclusions:

• Targeted educational interventions, including vROSCE and tailored materials, effectively enhance FITs' confidence in virtual care delivery.
• Continuous assessment of learner needs and curriculum integration of virtual care are crucial for rheumatology training.
• Improved virtual care competency ensures new rheumatologists are well-equipped for modern practice.