Effects of Postgraduate Medical Education “Boot Camps” on Clinical Skills, Knowledge, and Confidence: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Boot camps were shown as an effective educational strategy to improve learners' clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence. Focus on pretest/posttest research designs limits the strength of these findings.

The pediatric echocardiography Boot Camp: Four‐year experience and impact on clinical performance

“…A recent meta‐analysis found that the majority of reported Boot Camps in the literature were effective in improving learners’ clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence in the short term . However, studies investigating the impact of Boot Camps on mid‐ or long‐term performance are lacking.…”

“…raphy, they turn their attention to other topics. Trainees in pediatric cardiology are faced with learning in an era of increasing complexity of disease and rapidly advancing diagnostic methods and therapies.Educational interventions such as the Boot Camp will play a crucial role in improving the efficiency of pediatric cardiology training.A recent meta-analysis found that the majority of reported Boot Camps in the literature were effective in improving learners' clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence in the short term 9. However, studies investigating the impact of Boot Camps on mid-or long-term performance are lacking.…”

A Longitudinal Regional Educational Model for Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellows Emphasizing Small Group- and Simulation-based Learning

“…Published evidence for efficacy of boot camps in improving learning comes largely from papers describing the transition from medical school to residency. A recent metaanalysis found 15 studies that involved medical education boot camps involving learners entering new clinical roles in North American programs (14 studies involved surgical trainees and one involved internal medicine interns) with data reporting on effectiveness (13). The metaanalysis concluded that learners who completed boot camps showed great improvements in clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence.…”

Obstetrical Boot Camp: Preclinical Preparation for Undergraduate Nursing Students

“…To improve clinical experiences, a preclinical obstetrical (OB) nursing boot camp was implemented using Kolb's experiential learning cycle (Kolb, 2015). The literature regarding the effect of this type of preparation in nursing is limited; however, boot camp activities have proven effective in improving clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence in the education of medical students (Blackmore, Austin, Lopushinsky, & Donnon, 2014)…”