Exploring the development and utility of a novel structured resident Research In-Training Evaluation Report in...

Development of foundational scholarship and research skills is a core competency that resident physicians must achieve. Evaluating trainee progress in scholarly activities is challenging due to a lack of evidence-informed assessment tools, and residency programs struggle to engage learners in these activities. In 2019, the University of Alberta (UofA) Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency program developed a new Research In-Training Evaluation Report (R-ITER) to improve resident engagement in scholarly work and assessment of scholarly competencies. The development, implementation, and utility of this innovative tool are described.

A sequential mixed methods approach was employed, beginning with a qualitative analysis of program documents outlining the context and need for R-ITER creation, followed by a survey of R-ITER users to evaluate the tool's utility. Thematic analysis of documents and survey comments identified the impetus for the innovation and interest-holder experiences using the new tool. Descriptive statistics summarized user experiences. Thematic analysis generated insights driving the development and implementation of the R-ITER: inadequate support and direction for research projects, limited research time, residents' research knowledge gaps, and unclear research opportunities.

Survey respondents included 9/22 residents (40.9%) and 2/11 supervisors (18.2%). Participants found the R-ITER easy to access, well-organized, and effective for tracking progress. However, participants were unclear regarding the frequency at which the R-ITER should be used to assess progress. Following R-ITER implementation, 10/16 (62.5%) resident physicians who graduated between 2021 and 2025 have published 12 peer-reviewed papers representing projects initiated and completed during residency training. The R-ITER provides an effective, accessible, and well-structured innovation for assessing resident research performance.

Future steps include gathering more research supervisor feedback, including explicit expectations pertaining to its use and completion, utilizing the R-ITER to implement additional research programs, and exploring the use of the R-ITER in other residency programs nationally or internationally.