Implementation and Assessment of a Resident-Preceptor Curriculum for Internal Medicine Residents in Outpatient...

Opportunities for senior residents to precept junior trainees in continuity clinics have previously been explored. Faculty or junior resident perceptions of the resident-preceptor model remain understudied, however. We describe a resident-preceptor curriculum implemented with third-year Internal Medicine residents at a single institution with a multipronged evaluation. The objective was to assess the feasibility of and perceptions about a resident-preceptor curriculum for third-year Internal Medicine residents.

Postgraduate year 3 (PGY-3) residents on ambulatory rotations between January and May 2023 attended a 1-hour educational workshop and then participated in up to four half-day resident-preceptor sessions. Pre- and postcurriculum surveys using Likert scales assessed the perceptions of ambulatory training among PGY-3 residents. Faculty members and junior residents completed postcurriculum surveys to assess feasibility and impact on the clinic learning environment. Survey responses were summarized using means, standard deviations, and one-sided Wilcoxon signed rank tests.

Fourteen PGY-3 residents participated, and 10/14 (71.4%) completed both pre- and postcurriculum surveys. PGY-3s precepted a median of two half-day sessions and five patients per session. No additional faculty, space, or clinic resources were necessary. Postcurriculum, PGY-3s were significantly more likely to view their faculty as using evidence-based practice (P = 0.02). Among faculty and junior residents, 15/23 (65.2%) and 13/44 (29.5%) completed the postcurriculum surveys, respectively. Faculty and junior residents provided positive ratings on the impact of the curriculum across multiple aspects of clinical training.

Implementing a resident-preceptor curriculum in outpatient continuity clinics is feasible without additional resources and is perceived as a valuable addition to ambulatory training by faculty, resident preceptors, and junior residents.