Pediatrics Residents' Conference Attendance Does Not Predict Their In-Training Exam Scores

Objective Residents work hard both at their clinical duties and at their learning, and they have limited time in which to balance the two. Existing evidence on the value of didactic conferences is mixed, and prior studies predate the increases in virtual and asynchronous learning since COVID-19. To address that gap, we explored the relationship between residents' attendance at didactic conferences and their medical knowledge as measured on annual standardized exams. Methods We conducted a retrospective national study assessing the relationships between pediatrics residents' attendance at didactic conferences and their scores on the American Board of Pediatrics In-Training Exam (ITE) from July 2022 through July 2023, adjusting for residents' level of training and prior exam scores. Results We analyzed data from 383 residents from 10 programs, and we found no significant correlation between conference attendance and ITE scores. Conclusions Didactic sessions are a required component of residency training, but we found that attendance at these sessions does not correlate with residents' performance on standardized exams. This highlights the need for future research exploring how didactic sessions can be made more effective and whether conference attendance might impact other outcomes such as clinical skills more than exam performance.