A new palliative and pain educational model for pediatric residents

In Europe, resident doctors are not provided with standardized educational modules on pain management (PM) and pediatric palliative care (PPC).

Italian Schools of Residency in Pediatrics (ISRP) were invited to participate in an education project on PM and PPC. A questionnaire was distributed before the start of the teaching module (May 2023) to assess the state of the art in PPC and PM educational programs among the ISRP. Between June and December 2023, three synchronous and twelve asynchronous online modules were delivered. This project was carried out nationwide. Data were collected using pre- and post-module questionnaires administered through a dedicated online learning platform, ensuring uniformity and reliability of responses. The information gathered included the participants' universities, years of residency, pre- and post-course test results, and satisfaction with the course content.

All ISRP participated, enrolling 2671 residents (70.3% of Italian pediatric residents). A total of 52.7% completed the program, with all passing the final competency test (ECTS-credits). Pre- and post-module assessments demonstrated a significant improvement in theoretical knowledge, with the percentage of correct answers rising from 22.5% to 90.4%. Overall satisfaction was high (4/5 on a Likert scale).

This remote teaching module effectively enhanced residents'knowledge and skills in PM and PPC. Although it was effective in terms of education and satisfaction, it could further benefit from structured complementary training offered within the regional clinical network.