Essential Areas of Knowledge in Rheumatology for Pediatric Residents: A Modified Delphi Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Rheumatology
• Medical Education
• Competency-Based Training

Background:

• Pediatric residents need practical skills for childhood rheumatologic diseases (cRDs).
• A shortage of pediatric rheumatologists and lack of standardized curriculum hinder resident education.
• Defining essential knowledge areas is crucial for improving trainee preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define essential rheumatology knowledge areas for graduating pediatric residents.
• To establish a standardized list of critical competencies for pediatric rheumatology education.
• To inform curriculum development for better resident preparedness in managing cRDs.

Main Methods:

• Literature search to identify relevant educational resources.
• Modified Delphi process using surveys with rheumatology education stakeholders.
• Iterative survey refinement based on expert panel responses.

Main Results:

• 107 items were identified by 21 panelists across two survey rounds.
• 54 items (47.7%) were categorized as Essential (rated "Very Important" by >70%).
• 55 items (52.3%) were categorized as Recommended (rated "Very Important" or "Somewhat Important" by >70%).

Conclusions:

• Current broad content specifications are inadequate for preparing pediatric residents for cRDs.
• An expanded, standardized list of competencies is vital given the rheumatology workforce shortage.
• These defined competencies should guide curriculum design to enhance pediatric resident education.