Student Experiences Learning in Specialty Cohorts During a Transition to Residency Course: Context, Safety and...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Graduate Medical Training

Background:

• Transition to residency (TTR) courses are increasingly common for graduating medical students.
• National recommendations advocate for specialty-specific training, yet many courses offer generalized content, leaving the benefits of specialization unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a specialty-specific TTR course on medical students' educational experiences.
• To explore how context, instruction, and cohort structure influence learning in TTR.

Main Methods:

• A 4-week TTR course was developed with specialty-specific content for seven medical specialties.
• Focus groups with 33 students explored their learning experiences, focusing on specialty-specific instruction, context, and cohort effects.
• Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze interview transcripts.

Main Results:

• Learner engagement was enriched by specialty-specific content, contextual relevance, and faculty expertise.
• Psychological safety was fostered by stable, non-competitive post-match cohorts.
• Specialty alignment and shared experiences promoted connection and relational learning.

Conclusions:

• Specialty-specific TTR courses enhance learner engagement through authentic experiences and faculty expertise.
• Post-match timing and cohort structure promote psychological safety and professional identity development.
• Specialty-aligned learning environments foster interpersonal connections and a sense of belonging.