Structured Textbook Review and Individualized Learning Plans Successfully Remediate Underperforming Residents and...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• General surgery residency programs require robust knowledge assessment.
• Existing methods may not adequately identify or remediate knowledge gaps.
• An evidence-based curriculum was developed to enhance resident fund of knowledge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a new curriculum in improving general surgery resident knowledge.
• To assess the impact of targeted interventions on resident performance on the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE).

Main Methods:

• A prospective 2-year study implemented a structured textbook review with testing for all residents.
• Residents scoring below the 35th percentile on the ABSITE received focused interventions.
• Interventions included a question-writing assignment and a Surgical Council on Resident Education (SCORE)-based individualized learning plan (ILP).

Main Results:

• The curriculum significantly reduced the proportion of residents scoring below the 35th percentile on the ABSITE (50% to 30.8%, P = .023).
• All residents initially below the 35th percentile were successfully remediated.
• Average overall program ABSITE percentile scores increased from 38.5% to 51.4% over the study period.

Conclusions:

• A structured curriculum, including targeted remediation, effectively improved general surgery resident knowledge.
• The implemented interventions successfully remediated underperforming residents and enhanced overall program performance on the ABSITE.