Critical performance analysis of rotating resident doctors in Iraq

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Competence Assessment

Background:

• Rotating residents are crucial for healthcare delivery.
• Evaluating resident competence is essential for patient safety and effective healthcare systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the clinical competence of rotating residents in Iraq.
• To identify areas of strength and weakness in resident performance across major disciplines.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 301 rotating residents in Iraq participated.
• Competence was evaluated using simulated patient-management problems (PMP) and supervisor assessments.
• A minimum passing level (MPL) was established for PMP.

Main Results:

• Only 2% of residents achieved the MPL overall.
• No significant differences in performance were found based on university of graduation.
• Residents performed poorly in obstetrics/gynaecology and medicine/medical emergencies.
• Higher performance was noted in orthopaedics (45.0%) and paediatrics (27.5%).
• Supervisor assessments indicated two-thirds of residents scored at least 50%.

Conclusions:

• Current resident training may not adequately prepare physicians for clinical practice.
• There is a critical need to revise educational objectives and implement a competency-based curriculum.
• Targeted interventions are required to improve resident competence, particularly in obstetrics/gynaecology and internal medicine.