Outcomes of a Near-Peer Intern Orientation Boot Camp

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Graduate Medical Education
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Medical interns face significant challenges transitioning from medical school to residency.
• Traditional orientation programs often lack practical skills training crucial for this transition.
• Faculty and administrators typically deliver orientation, which may not address intern-specific needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To bridge the gap in traditional intern orientation by implementing a targeted program.
• To enhance the transition experience for incoming medical interns.
• To improve interns' practical skills and confidence in daily residency tasks.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement methodology, including Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, was employed.
• A two-week virtual boot camp was conducted for incoming interns, led by near-peer residents.
• The curriculum covered daily workflow, documentation, presentation skills, and Electronic Health Record (EHR) utilization, with pre- and post-program surveys assessing outcomes.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in understanding daily workflow (p=0.003) and EHR tasks, including order writing (p=0.002) and documentation (p=0.001).
• Interns reported increased comfort with EHR processes such as sign-outs (p=0.002) and accessing team lists (p=0.001).
• The program achieved its overall goals, with high participant satisfaction and a strong recommendation for continuation.

Conclusions:

• A near-peer led orientation boot camp effectively improved the intern transition experience.
• The program enhanced interns' understanding of day-to-day responsibilities and proficiency with the EHR.
• Targeted, practical orientation is vital for successful intern integration into residency programs.