Abstract
Abstract
This project was funded by “start-up” funds by the Department of Surgery, Division of Orthopaedics, University of Toronto
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of an interactive workshop pertaining to optimizing learning in orthopaedics, on academic performance and changed behaviour towards learning during orthopaedic residency training. Themes included: 1) what makes learning orthopaedic surgery unique? 2) creating the learning environment and; 3) preparation for specific milestones.
Method
A prospective study involving 44/48 (92%) orthopaedic surgical residents from an accredited orthopaedic program attended a previously developed workshop on optimizing learning in orthopaedic surgery. The workshop was completed in June 2009. Residents completed an evaluation upon completion of the interventional workshop on desired behaviors to change by attending the workshop. These residents then progressed into their next level of training and were now in their PGY2 through PGY5 years. A second evaluation was completed by each resident 6 months later. The evaluation focused on behaviors that each resident perceived to have changed because of the workshop. These results were correlated with change in scores with the annual orthopaedic in training evaluation (OITE) written 5 months after the workshop by all participating residents.
A retrospective review of the Orthopaedic in-Training Examination (OITE) results of PGY2s through PGY5s was completed. OITE mean change in scores and percentiles were computed on examinations written during the 2006 through 2009 academic years.
Results
Forty-four residents initially attended the workshop. Thirty-nine attended a second session and 34/39 (87%) completed the second evaluation. Post-workshop evaluation forms were triangulated with change in scores from the OITEs recorded.
A reverse relationship between the raw OITE scores and percentile scores as residents advanced through training. Paired samples t-tests were conducted to evaluate the possible impact of the intervention of residents OITE scores. There was a statistically significant increase in OITE raw scores between post-graduate residents who wrote the OITE in PGY2 academic year of training followed by participation in the workshop, and then wrote the OITE their PGY3 academic year (M = 141.77, SD = 15.98) to (M = 159.77, SD = 11.17), t (12) = −4.20, p < .0005 (two-tailed).
Emerging themes from how residents changed behavior to optimize learning included: interactions with others during educational experiences, resources allocated for academic and clinical activitites and how residents managed their time.
