Teaching pediatric and adolescent gynecology: a pilot study at one institution

To assess resident physicians' clinical recognition skills in Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology.

1) A questionnaire to identify demographic data and self-assessment as to the ability to perform a gynecologic evaluation of children. 2) Twenty color photographs of normal genitalia and common gynecologic problems in children.

Sixty-one University of Tennessee resident physicians; 51 from the Memphis campus--20 obstetrics-gynecology (Ob-Gyn) residents, 20 pediatrics residents, and 11 family practice residents--and 10 Ob-Gyn residents from the Chattanooga campus.

Ability to identify normal features of the prepubertal genitalia and to diagnose common gynecologic disorders.

Ob-Gyn residents from the University of Tennessee, Memphis scored significantly better (58.1% correct) than did the other three groups; 38.8, 36.9, and 39.1%, respectively (p = .009). Mean performance score increased with higher pediatric gynecology PGY levels. PGY-4s performed best, whereas PGY-1s scored the lowest, with mean scores of 57.5% and 35.3%, respectively (p = .021). Residents who reported having a well-defined program in pediatric gynecology scored significantly better than those who did not have such a program, 55.3% and 39.5%, respectively (p < .001).

A well-defined program in pediatric gynecology enhances resident education and provides them with better tools to perform gynecologic evaluations of children and adolescents.