Expanding resident conferences while tailoring them to level of training: A longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of changing a 1-hour weekly all-resident didactic conference to an expanded 4-hour bimonthly level-specific didactic conference. DESIGN: Prospective outcome measures included an anonymous 10-item perceptions survey administered at 4 time points (preintervention, 6 months postintervention, I year postintervention, and 2 years postintervention), mean attendance rates preintervention and postintervention, and mean ABSITE scores preintervention and postintervention. SETTING: Large university-based surgical residency. PARTICIPANTS: Surgical residents (R1-R5, n = 75) were divided into junior (R1-R3, n = 56) and senior (R4-R5, n = 19) groups. Each group attended a session every, other Wednesday. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in overall resident satisfaction (55% vs 80%, p < 0.005) and level-specific appropriateness of content (81% vs 94%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, resident attendance rates were improved substantially (33% vs 55%, p < 0.001). ABSITE scores were nor affected significantly by the change in Curriculum structure. CONCLUSIONS: An expanded, bimonthly level-specific didactic curriculum is more effective than a shorter, weekly all-resident conference as evidenced by resident attitudes and attendance. Additional benefits of the alternating schedule include a reduced number of residents in each conference and the availability of residents for clinical educational activities (eg, operative cases or clinic). Expanded educational time has allowed the introduction of nontraditional topics that include leadership, Communication, practice management, professionalism, and technical skills training.