Chest radiology case exchange program: a paradigm for resident teaching and independent resident learning

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of resident-prepared, independent learning cases in teaching residents chest radiology.

Three 2nd-year residents (one each from the University of Wisconsin, the Oregon Health Sciences University, and the University of Michigan) prepared four chest radiology teaching cases each (total, 12 cases). Radiology residents from each institution were randomly divided into control (n = 30) and experimental (n = 35) groups. Residents from both groups took a pretest of 36 multiple-choice questions covering the material from the 12 teaching cases. Residents in the experimental group reviewed these cases independently, and both groups took the same test (posttest) immediately after the teaching cases had been reviewed and again 3 months later (final test).

Test scores were similar across institutions (P > .05) but differed across time and treatment groups (experimental vs control) (P < .0001). Mean differences in test scores between the experimental and control groups at pretest, posttest, and final test were -0.4, +9.0, +4.0, respectively, demonstrating increased performance at posttesting that was still present (though somewhat attenuated) 3 months later at final testing.

Independent study of resident-prepared chest radiology teaching cases increases the resident's knowledge for as long as 3 months after instruction.