Training the clinician-manager. Assessing the reality

Occupational medicine residents at the University of Arizona have been introduced to administrative skills and issues as part of residency training since 1983. A questionnaire survey of 17 program graduates was conducted to assess effectiveness of training and applicability of skills to present job position. Seventeen of the graduates surveyed (100%) returned a completed questionnaire. Graduates rated the extent to which certain training activities improved administrative skills, such as community-based rotations, a 1-month administration rotation, chief resident responsibilities, committee work, program or clinic administration, and residency training overall. Although ratings overall were low, we believe this stems from the need for training that residents discover on the job. The survey emphasized the importance of administrative training during the residency years and underscored the need for renewed training efforts on our part.