Ambulatory Curriculum Enhancing Education for Modern Resident Learners

Data on the implementation of successful pediatric ambulatory curricula in residency are limited. Although most pediatric residents pursue careers in primary care, the educational focus in residency training sways toward inpatient medicine. Barriers exist to standardized, consistent teaching in the outpatient clinic. We aimed to create a novel longitudinal ambulatory curriculum focusing on high-yield topics geared toward modern learners that would be well-received and result in retained knowledge.

Thirty-two pediatric residents were exposed to an 18-month curriculum consisting of 62 high-yield ambulatory topics. Standardized topic guides were taught in brief sessions weekly. Pre- and posttests, midcurriculum cumulative exams, and a 1-year follow-up exam assessed baseline knowledge and long-term retention. We used a Likert scale (1=not at all, 5=very much) to assess satisfaction and use of the curriculum in clinical practice.

Mean weekly scores increased from pretest to posttest and from pretest to final exam for each half curriculum. The mean test score 1 year later was sustained at over 85%. Mean satisfaction and effectiveness scores were 4.6 and 4.5, respectively. When asked how much the curriculum was used in clinical practice, the average score was 4.45.

Ambulatory education in residency is often inconsistent, with gaps in published data. We created an approach geared toward modern learners that provided consistent pediatric outpatient education of high-yield topics, was well received, and led to a sustained increase in knowledge. This type of curriculum can be used in other ambulatory settings to improve resident knowledge with minimal interruption to clinical sessions.