Educational Handoffs between Medical School and Residency: A National Survey of Residency Program Directors

Abstract

Background: Educational handoffs between medical schools and residency may facilitate the transition into graduate medical education. Attitudes of residency program directors about handoffs are largely unknown. Objective: This study assessed the opinions of residency program directors from four specialties, regarding information sharing between medical schools and residencies, and whether they desire student performance data post-match, including milestones, competency and entrustable professional activity (EPA) achievement, and capstone or boot camp-based performance data. Methods: In 2017 a thirteen question survey was sent to program directors from internal medicine, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and obstetrics/gynecology. Responses were anonymous and data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results: Twenty percent of program directors surveyed submitted a survey (187 out of 950). Fifty-nine percent reported that unexpected remedial issues often arise within the first 6 months of internship. Twenty-four percent stated that information currently received is adequate to structure the learning environment of individual residents. Seventy-seven percent responded that they desire access to EPA-based information; seventy-four percent to milestone or competency-based data; eighty-two percent to performance data from fourth-year capstone courses or boot camps. No significant differences were found between specialties. Concerns were raised by respondents about the validity and reliability of performance metrics that would be shared with program directors.

Student Perceptions of educational handovers

“…3 In this context, it is worth emphasizing that educational handovers are meant to help students at all performance levels, including those who excel, by allowing training experiences to be modified within the constraints of residency requirements. 6 Individualized learning plans -should be an important part of the educational handover. It is noteworthy that students who participated in an educational handover were more likely to have positive perceptions.…”

“…This aligns with existing research indicating that learner ownership — specifically, individualized learning plans — should be an important part of the educational handover 3 . In this context, it is worth emphasizing that educational handovers are meant to help students at all performance levels, including those who excel, by allowing training experiences to be modified within the constraints of residency requirements 6 …”

“…Despite medical students being key stakeholders in this process, very little is known about their perceptions of educational handovers. Most pilot programs of educational handovers have focused on perspectives of the recipient, the program directors, 5–8 while one has included student input among other stakeholders 9 . As there are increasing calls to standardize the educational handover on a national scale, 3 we believe that incorporating student input about the contents of handovers is critical.…”

Asking Medical Students on Medical Education and Humanities: How do I do it?; and, how I would like to do it?

“…The view on Medical Education often comes from senior doctors and scholars (Cooper et al, 2018). One of the many innovative approaches on this initiative "The Doctor as a Humanist: Can the Humanities transform 21st Century Medicine?…”