Surgical Residents' Perception of the 16-Hour Work Day Restriction: Concern for Negative Impact on Resident Education and Patient Care

Ownership of Patient Care: Medical Students' Expectations, Experiences, and Evolutions Across the Core Clerkship Curriculum

Phenomenon: Ownership of patient care is a key element of professional growth and professional identity formation, but its development among medical students is incompletely understood. Specifically, how attitudes surrounding ownership of patient care develop, what experiences are most influential in shaping them, and how educators can best support this growth are not well known. Therefore, we studied the longitudinal progression of ownership definitions and experiences in medical students across their core clerkship curriculum. Approach: We conducted a series of four longitudinal focus groups with the same cohort of medical students across their core clerkship curriculum. Using workplace learning theory as a sensitizing concept, we conducted semi-structured interviews to explore how definitions, experiences, and influencers of ownership developed and evolved. Results were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis. Findings: Fifteen students participated in four focus groups spanning their core clerkship curriculum. We constructed four themes from responses: (1) students' definitions of ownership of patient care evolved to include more central roles for themselves and more defined limitations; (2) student conceptions of patient care ownership became more relational and reciprocal over time as they ascribed a more active role to patients; (3) student assessment fostered ownership as an external motivator when it explicitly addressed ownership, but detracted from ownership if it removed students from patient care; and (4) structural and logistical factors impacted students' ability to display patient care ownership. Insights: Student conceptions of ownership evolved over their core clerkship curriculum to include more patient care responsibility and more meaningful relational connections with patients, including recognizing patients' agency in this relationship. This progression was contingent on interactions with real patients and students being afforded opportunities to play a meaningful role in their care. Rotation structures and assessment processes are key influencers of care ownership that merit further study, as well as the voice of patients themselves in these relationships.

The Patient Care Ownership Scale: External Validation of an Instrument that Measures Patient Care Ownership Among Internal Medicine Trainees-a Multi-Institutional Study

BACKGROUND

Patient care ownership improves accountability, clinical skills, and quality of patient care among resident physicians, but appears to be gradually eroding. Research is limited by the lack of a reliable, objective measure of ownership.

OBJECTIVE

To validate the Patient Care Ownership Scale, an instrument that measures decision ownership among internal medicine residents.

DESIGN

Multi-institutional, cross-sectional study using a 66-item, online survey that queried residents on ownership's key constructs (advocacy, responsibility, accountability, follow-through, knowledge, communication, initiative, continuity of care, autonomy, self-efficacy, and perceived ownership) as well as mood and burnout.

PARTICIPANTS

Internal medicine residents in five geographically diverse residency programs completing an inpatient rotation.

MAIN MEASURES

We performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in two randomly split groups to evaluate for subscales and inform item reduction. We conducted reliability testing with Cronbach's α. We performed bivariate analyses to examine construct validity and identify correlates of ownership.

KEY RESULTS

Of the 785 eligible residents, 625 completed the survey (80% response rate); we included responses from 563 in the analysis. We identified three factors corresponding to assertiveness, conscientiousness, and confidence or perceived competence. After iterative item reduction, the 13-item ownership scale demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.82). Convergent validity was supported by a significant association with perceived ownership (eliminated from the final scale) (r = 0.67, p < 0.001). There was a positive association between ownership and training level (p < 0.01) and prior experience in the intensive care unit (p < 0.001). There were significant, inverse relationships between ownership and self-defined burnout (r = - 0.24, p < 0.001), depression (r = - 0.22, p < 0.001), detachment (r = - 0.26, p < 0.001), and frustration (r = - 0.15, p = 0.02), and significant positive associations between ownership and feeling energetic (r = 0.29, p < 0.001), happy (r = 0.33, p < 0.001), and fulfilled (r = 0.34, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The Patient Care Ownership Scale is valid in diverse residency program settings. Medical educators and investigators can use our scale to assess interventions aimed at fostering ownership.

ACGME 2011 Duty Hours Restrictions and Their Effects on Surgical Residency Training and Patients Outcomes: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

The ACGME instituted the 2011 residency duty-hour restrictions (DHR) to increase resident well-being and patient safety. However, its eventual remodeling came after patient care was deemed unaffected. We aimed to identify the effects of the ACGME 2011-DHR on (1) patient outcomes, (2) surgical resident case volume, and (3) surgical resident quality of life.

DESIGN

Literature search using Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase for publications between 2010 and 2020, on the 2011-DHR effects on resident and patient outcomes. Studies containing the number of cases performed during training, quality of life, and surgical patients' outcomes were included.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies met inclusion criteria. There was no difference in complication rates for surgical patients post 2011-DHR (p = 0.561). 2011-DHR caused surgical caseload shifts from interns to senior residents reflected by decreased operative cases for interns (p = 0.005) with significantly more total cases performed by chief residents (p = 0.0006). Pre-2011-DHR had more work flexibility that led to higher resident well-being (p = 0.01). Only 25% of residents approved of the 2011-DHR while 87% felt these restrictions would have adverse effects.

CONCLUSION

Current literature supports that the 2011-DHR did not improve patient outcomes, decreased surgical experience for junior residents and shifted clinical responsibilities to senior residents. System wide regulations such as the 2011-DHR may unintentionally create professional and personal life imbalance and introduce stress over resident inability to perform clinical responsibilities. Future systemic interventions to address resident well-being should be made with caution and not solely limited to the number of hours they work in a single week or in a single shift.

Whose Patient Is This? A Scoping Review of Patient Ownership

PURPOSE

The scope of physicians' responsibility toward patients is becoming increasingly complicated to delimit as interdisciplinary care delivery and degrees of subspecialization increase. Patients can easily be lost across multiple transitions involved in care. Preparing learners to engage in safe and responsible patient care requires that we be clear about parameters of patient ownership. This scoping review (1) explores and synthesizes definitions of patient ownership and (2) describes the factors that influence patient ownership.

METHOD

Searching PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO, the authors sought out publications of any format (i.e., original research papers, review articles, commentaries, editorials, and author discussions) that (1) addressed patient ownership directly or a closely related concept that explicitly affected patient ownership, (2) included medical care providers (attending/faculty physicians, medical residents, and/or medical students), and (3) were published in English. The authors analyzed findings to construct common themes and categorize findings.

RESULTS

Of 411 papers screened, 82 met our inclusion criteria. Twenty-three papers defined patient ownership in highly variable ways. Common themes across definitions included responsibility for patient care, personally carrying out patient care tasks, knowledge of patients' medical information, independent decision making, and putting patients' needs above one's own. Factors influencing patient ownership were (1) logistical concerns, (2) personal attributes, and (3) socially or organizationally constructed expectations.

CONCLUSIONS

A new definition of patient ownership is proposed encompassing findings from the review, while also respecting the shift from individual to a team-based patient care, and without removing the centrality of an individual provider's commitment to patients.

The Patient Care Ownership Scale: Development of an Instrument to Measure Patient Care Ownership Among Internal Medicine Trainees

BACKGROUND

Patient care ownership is essential to delivering high-quality medical care but appears to be eroding among trainees. The lack of an objective measure has limited the study of ownership in physicians.

OBJECTIVE

To develop an instrument to measure psychological ownership of patient care.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

PARTICIPANTS

Internal medicine trainees in a large, academic hospital completing an inpatient rotation.

MAIN MEASURES

Our scale prototype adapted an existing ownership scale (developed in the non-medical setting) based on themes identified in qualitative studies of patient care ownership. We conducted cognitive interviews to determine face validity of the scale items. Our finalized scale measures ownership's key constructs: advocacy, responsibility, accountability, follow-through, knowledge, communication, initiative, continuity of care, autonomy, and perceived ownership. We distributed an online, anonymous, 46-question survey to 219 residents; 192 residents completed the survey; and 166 responses were included in the analysis. We calculated Cronbach's α to determine the scale's internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis was used to explore possible subscales. We examined construct validity using bivariate and correlational analysis.

KEY RESULTS

The 15-item ownership scale demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.89). We identified three possible subscales corresponding to assertiveness, being the "go-to" person, and diligence. Training level and prior intensive care unit experience significantly predicted ownership (p < 0.01). There was no significant relationship between ownership and age, gender, inpatient service type, call schedule, patient turnover, or supervisory experience of the attending physician. We found a significant negative correlation between ownership and perceived degree of burnout (r = - 0.33), depression (r = - 0.24), detachment (r = - 0.35), and frustration (r = - 0.31) and a significant positive association between ownership and fulfillment (r = 0.37) and happiness (r = 0.36).

CONCLUSION

We developed an instrument to quantify patient care ownership in residents. Our scale demonstrates good internal consistency and preliminary evidence of validity. With further validation, we expect this to be a valuable tool to evaluate interventions aimed at improving ownership.

Frozen-thawed Abdominal Flap Remnant as an education material for a Medium Group Surgical Skills Education Workshop

Purpose

Residents' duty-hour regulations and the evolution of minimally invasive surgical techniques require more effective and efficient surgical skill teaching models. We used frozen-thawed human tissue remnants harvested during abdominoplasty or abdominal tissue-based breast reconstruction to allow for a medium-sized group workshop program, simulating a realistic surgical environment and visual/haptic feedback.

Methods

Full-thickness abdominal tissue (skin and subcutaneous fat) were donated from patients who underwent autologous breast reconstruction and gave consent to use their tissue for comprehensive research and medical educational purposes. Anonymized tissue was frozen-preserved and then thawed the day of the surgical skills workshop. A total of 53 residents completed 50-minute hands-on training in 3-to-5 person modules in four sessions of the workshop program.

Results

Thawed tissue regained almost normal texture and consistency. Structural integrity was also histologically confirmed. All participants were generally satisfied with the program, especially regarding the suture material provided.

Conclusion

Frozen-thawed tissue remnants from abdominoplasty or autologous breast reconstruction could be preserved and used as a suture education material in medium-group workshops for surgery residents or medical students given anonymity and with proper consent guaranteed. This approach provided an excellent model maintaining relatively real anatomic structure and consistency with minimal cost.

Barriers to implementation of the FUSE program

INTRODUCTION

The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) developed The Fundamental Use of Surgical Energy (FUSE) Program to promote safe use of energy devices in the operating room and endoscopy suite. Utilization of the program has been slower than anticipated. This study aims to determine the barriers to implementing FUSE.

METHODS

An anonymous survey was distributed to a surgery department at an academic teaching hospital (n = 256). Participants indicated their level of training. Answers were measured using a 5-point Likert scale.

RESULTS

There were 94 (36.7%) respondents to the survey from September 7 to 20, 2016. Fifteen surveys were incomplete, leaving 79 responses for analysis. Most respondents were at the faculty level (45/79, 57.0%). The majority had heard of FUSE (62/79, 78.5%), but only 19 had completed the certification (19/62, 32.3%). There was no difference in the completion rate between faculty and trainees (26.7 vs. 20.6%, OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.49-4.06, p = 0.53). The most common reasons for not taking the exam were lack of time to study (26/43, 60.5%) and lack of time to take the exam (28/43, 62.1%); however, cost was not a barrier (12/43, 27.9%). The majority identified a personal learning gap regarding the safe use of surgical energy (30/43, 69.7%). Of the 19 FUSE-certified respondents, reasons cited for completing the exam included wanting to prevent adverse events to patients and in the operating room (17/19, 89.5% and 17/19, 89.5%), and the belief that the course would make them a safer surgeon (16/19, 84.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

FUSE teaches the proper use of radiofrequency energy, how to prevent unnecessary injury, and promotes safe practice. Close to three out of every four surgeons self-identified a personal knowledge gap regarding the safe use of surgical energy. Time restraints were cited most commonly as the barrier to starting and completing FUSE. Integrating the FUSE program into resident educational conferences, faculty grand rounds, or national conferences may help improve participation and drive adoption of FUSE certification.

Association Between Resident Perceptions of Patient Safety and Duty Hour Violations

BACKGROUND

Residents are often required to balance whether to adhere to duty hour policies or violate them to care for patients and obtain educational experiences. Little is known about why residents violate duty hour policies and whether there is a relationship between how often residents violate duty hours and concerns about patient safety. Our objective was to assess the association between resident duty hour violations and resident concerns about patient safety.

STUDY DESIGN

We analyzed survey data collected from surgery residents who completed the 2015 American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination, excluding those in the Flexible Policy arm of the Flexibility in Duty Hour Requirements for Surgical Trainees (FIRST) trial. Perceptions of how duty hour restrictions affect patient safety were dichotomized as either "positive/neutral" or "negative." Resident duty hour violations in a typical month were separated as "frequently" (≥3 times) or "infrequently" (<3 times). Rates were compared and regression models were used to examine the association between negative perceptions and duty hour violations, adjusting for resident and program-level covariates.

RESULTS

Overall, 25.3% of trainees under current policies perceived that current ACGME duty hour policies negatively affected patient safety. This negative perception increased with PGY level (PGY1: 18.5%, PGY2 to 3: 22.6%, PGY4 to 5: 32.0%; p < 0.001). Residents with negative perceptions more often reported frequent duty violations (positive/neutral: 20.0% vs negative: 32.7%; p < 0.001). After adjustment for covariates, a negative perception of how duty hour policies affect patient safety was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of frequent duty hour violations among all trainees grouped together (odds ratio [OR] = 1.89; 95% CI, 1.60-2.22), and separately for interns (OR = 2.59; 95% CI, 1.70-3.93), junior (OR = 1.62; 95% CI 1.22-2.16), and senior residents (OR = 1.99; 95% CI, 1.54-2.58).

CONCLUSIONS

Trainees who reported perceiving negative effects of duty hour policies on patient safety were more likely to report frequent duty hour violations.

Effects of Technological Advances in Surgical Education on Quantitative Outcomes From Residency Programs

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this article is to review the literature on current technology for surgical education and to evaluate the effect of technological advances on the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Core Competencies, American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) scores, and American Board of Surgery (ABS) certification.

DESIGN

A literature search was obtained from MEDLINE via PubMed.gov, ScienceDirect.com, and Google Scholar on all peer-reviewed studies published since 2003 using the following search queries: technology for surgical education, simulation-based surgical training, simulation-based nontechnical skills (NTS) training, ACGME Core Competencies, ABSITE scores, and ABS pass rate.

RESULTS

Our initial search list included the following: 648 on technology for surgical education, 413 on simulation-based surgical training, 51 on simulation-based NTS training, 78 on ABSITE scores, and 33 on ABS pass rate. Further, 42 articles on technological advances for surgical education met inclusion criteria based on their effect on ACGME Core Competencies, ABSITE scores, and ABS certification. Systematic review showed that 33 of 42 and 26 of 42 publications on technological advances for surgical education showed objective improvements regarding patient care and medical knowledge, respectively, whereas only 2 of 42 publications showed improved ABSITE scores, but none showed improved ABS pass rates. Improvements in the other ACGME core competencies were documented in 14 studies, 9 of which were on simulation-based NTS training.

CONCLUSIONS

Most of the studies on technological advances for surgical education have shown a positive effect on patient care and medical knowledge. However, the effect of simulation-based surgical training and simulation-based NTS training on ABSITE scores and ABS certification has not been assessed. Studies on technological advances in surgical education and simulation-based NTS training showing quantitative evidence that surgery residency program objectives are achieved are still needed.

Effect of Process Changes in Surgical Training on Quantitative Outcomes From Surgery Residency Programs

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this article is to review the literature on process changes in surgical training programs and to evaluate their effect on the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Core Competencies, American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) scores, and American Board of Surgery (ABS) certification.

DESIGN

A literature search was obtained from MEDLINE via PubMed.gov, ScienceDirect.com, Google Scholar on all peer-reviewed studies published since 2003 using the following search queries: surgery residency training, surgical education, competency-based surgical education, ACGME core competencies, ABSITE scores, and ABS pass rate.

RESULTS

Our initial search list included 990 articles on surgery residency training models, 539 on competency-based surgical education, 78 on ABSITE scores, and 33 on ABS pass rate. Overall, 31 articles met inclusion criteria based on their effect on ACGME Core Competencies, ABSITE scores, and ABS certification. Systematic review showed that 5/31, 19/31, and 6/31 articles on process changes in surgical training programs had a positive effect on patient care, medical knowledge, and ABSITE scores, respectively. ABS certification was not analyzed. The other ACGME core competencies were addressed in only 6 studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Several publications on process changes in surgical training programs have shown a positive effect on patient care, medical knowledge, and ABSITE scores. However, the effect on ABS certification, and other quantitative outcomes from residency programs, have not been addressed. Studies on education strategies showing evidence that residency program objectives are being achieved are still needed. This article addresses the 6 ACGME Core Competencies.

Early impact of the 2011 ACGME duty hour regulations on surgical outcomes

BACKGROUND

In 2011, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) implemented additional restrictions on resident work hours. Although the impact of these restrictions on the education of surgical trainees has been examined, the effect on patient safety remains poorly understood.

METHODS

We used national Medicare Claims data for patients undergoing general (n = 1,223,815) and vascular (n = 475,262) surgery procedures in the 3 years preceding the duty hour changes (January, 2009-June, 2011) and the 18 months thereafter (July, 2011-December, 2012). Hospitals were stratified into quintiles by teaching intensity using a resident to bed ratio. We utilized a difference-in-differences analytic technique, using nonteaching hospitals as a control group, to compare risk-adjusted 30-day mortality, serious morbidity, readmission, and failure to rescue (FTR) rates before and after the duty hour changes.

RESULTS

After duty hour reform, no changes were seen in the measured outcomes when comparing teaching with nonteaching hospitals. Even when stratifying by teaching intensity, there were no differences. For example, at the highest intensity teaching hospitals (resident/bed ratio of ≥ 0.6), mortality rates before and after the duty hour changes were 4.2% and 4.0%, compared with 4.7% and 4.4% for nonteaching hospitals (relative risk [RR], 0.98; 95% CI, 0.89-1.07). Similarly, serious complication (RR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.98-1.06), FTR (RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.87-1.04), and readmission (odds ratio, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.96-1.03) rates were unchanged.

CONCLUSION

In Medicare beneficiaries undergoing surgery at teaching hospitals, outcomes have not improved since the 2011 ACGME duty hour regulations.

Impact of inpatient caseload, emergency department duties, and online learning resource on General Medicine In-Training Examination scores in Japan

Background

Both clinical workload and access to learning resource are important components of educational environment and may have effects on clinical knowledge of residents.

Methods

We conducted a survey with a clinical knowledge evaluation involving postgraduate year (PGY)-1 and -2 resident physicians at teaching hospitals offering 2-year postgraduate training programs required for residents in Japan, using the General Medicine In-Training Examination (GM-ITE). An individual-level analysis was conducted to examine the impact of the number of assigned patients and emergency department (ED) duty on the residents’ GM-ITE scores by fitting a multivariable generalized estimating equations. In hospital-level analysis, we evaluated the relationship between for the number of UpToDate reviews for each hospital and for the hospitals’ mean GM-ITE score.

Results

A total of 431 PGY-1 and 618 PGY-2 residents participated. Residents with four or five times per month of the ED duties exhibited the highest mean scores compared to those with greater or fewer ED duties. Those with largest number of inpatients in charge exhibited the highest mean scores compared to the residents with fewer inpatients in charge. Hospitals with the greater UpToDate topic viewing showed significantly greater mean score.

Conclusion

Appropriate ED workload and inpatient caseload, as well as use of evidence-based electronic resources, were associated with greater clinical knowledge of residents.

[Workload, work satisfaction and burnout among Hungarian female residents. Results of representative, online survey]

INTRODUCTION

Years of residency are the most challenging period of a medical carrier.

AIM

The aim of this study was to analyze female residents' (n = 380) workload, work satisfaction and burnout.

METHOD

Data in this representative, cross-sectional epidemiological study were obtained from online questionnaires completed by 380 female residents. For a wider interpretation of the data, male residents (n = 176) were included in the analysis as a control group.

RESULTS

The average weakly work hours of female residents were 66 hours and 70% of them felt overloaded. The medium and high level personal accomplishment was 75.9%, the emotional exhaustion was 58% and the medium and high level of depersonalization subscale was 53%. Female residents were mostly dissatisfied with working conditions, financial status, and prestige of her work. Dissatisfaction with the Hungarian health system was about 80% and nearly a quarter of respondents were considering working abroad.

CONCLUSIONS

Female residents represent the "critical mass" of the young doctors. Residents' well-being is an important indicator of the functioning and effectiveness of the health care system.

Decrease in junior resident case volume after 2011 ACGME work hours

OBJECTIVE

To determine how the new 2011 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education work hours affected case volume across postgraduate year (PGY) levels of surgical trainees.

DESIGN

Retrospective review of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case logs of surgical residents at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center from 2006 to 2013.

SETTING

Tertiary care center.

PARTICIPANTS

All categorical surgical residents from 2006 to 2013.

RESULTS

PGY-1 cases decreased from 139 (122.25-172.5) to 111.5 (102.25-117.5) (p = 0.003). PGY-2 case volume decreased as well from 162 (151.5-192) to 126 (95.5-173) (p = 0.011). Only 45% of PGY-2 residents performed more than 250 major cases after the work hours changed compared with 82% of residents before 2011. PGY-3 cases increased from 263 (215-309) to 309 (282-340) (p = 0.0038). Cases performed by PGY-4 and PGY-5 residents were not statistically different. Total cases performed by graduating chiefs, however, has increased from 987 (848.5-1050) to 1090 (1033-1145) (p = 0.0006).

CONCLUSIONS

Intern and PGY-2 case volume has declined at our institution as new work-hour regulations took effect in 2011. However, PGY-3 case volume increased significantly, and graduating chiefs are graduating with more cases. The work hours do not appear to have had the intended result of improving intern educational experience from a standpoint of case volume. Significant programmatic changes will likely be required to achieve the 250-case minimum by the end of PGY-2 year, as per 2014 American Board of Surgery requirements.

Perceived effects of the 16-hour workday restriction on surgical specialties: Quebec's experience

OBJECTIVE

Quebec was the first Canadian province to implement a 16-hour workday restriction. Our aim was to assess and compare Quebec's surgical residents' and professors' perception regarding the effects on the educational environment, quality of care, and quality of life.

DESIGN

The Surgical Theater Educational Environment Measure, the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure, quality of the medical act, and quality-of-life questionnaires were administered 6 months after the work-hour restrictions.

SETTING

Université de Montréal Surgery Department, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Université de Sherbrooke Surgery Department, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada; Université Laval Surgery Department, Québec, Québec, Canada; and McGill University Surgery Department, Montréal, Québec, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

Surgical residents and professors of all specialties within the 4 university surgery departments in Quebec through a voluntary web-based survey.

RESULTS

A total of 280 questionnaires were analyzed with response rates of 29.7% and 16.4% for residents and professors, respectively. Data were coded on a scale from 2 (strong improvement perception) to -2 (strong deterioration perception). The professors perceived a higher negative effect than the residents did on the educational environment, i.e., role of autonomy (-0.399 vs. -0.577, p < 0.001), teaching (-0.496 vs. -0.540, p < 0.001), social support (-0.345 vs. -0.535, p < 0.001), and surgical learning (-0.409 vs. -0.626, p < 0.001). The professors also observed a higher negative effect on patients' safety (-0.199 vs. -0.595, p = 0.003) and quality of care (-0.077 vs. -0.421, p = 0.014). The latter was even perceived as unchanged by residents (-0.077, 95% CI: -0.249 to 0.095). The residents perceived a negative effect on their quality of life, whereas the professors believed the contrary (0.500 vs -0.496, p < 0.001). More professors than residents believed residency should be prolonged (80.8% vs. 50.6%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Residents and professors perceive a mild negative effect on the educational environment and quality of care, whereas their perception on quality of life is opposite. The professors seem concerned about adequate training to the point of considering increasing training length.

Training obstetrics and gynecology residents to be effective communicators in the era of the 80-hour workweek: a pilot study

Background

To ensure optimal patient care, physicians must establish effective patient-physician relationships and thoughtfully incorporate their patients’ perspectives into their counseling. Historically, these skills are acquired with increasing clinical experience. However, given increasing work-hour restrictions, OB/GYN residents have fewer opportunities to develop these skills. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine if an interactive learning method is an effective tool by which to teach OB/GYN residents how to communicate with complicated patients.

Methods

An experiential simulation model was developed to teach OB/GYN residents effective communication skills for dealing with patients experiencing a pregnancy-related complication. A simulated patient interaction was designed for first-year residents. Specific scenarios were constructed based on challenging clinical scenarios identified by second-year residents. Non-judgmental communication, culture competency awareness and reflective listening were key skills that were taught as part of the clinical scenarios. Both acceptability and utility of the exercise with the first-years was assessed by a follow-up survey.

Results

Seven first-year residents participated in the education session consisting of four physician-patient interactions with specific learning objectives for each. These first-year residents all indicated that they would employ the skills practiced during the intervention into their future practice of medicine, and that their comfort level in caring for complex obstetric patients had increased. Moreover, all first-year residents endorsed that this educational strategy was potentially applicable to other aspects of their training.

Conclusions

Simulated patient exercises can be utilized in multiple arenas to teach OB/GYN residents communication skills, while simultaneously addressing their clinical knowledge deficits. Early implementation of such a curriculum in an OB/GYN residency will lay the foundation for the development of empathetic and culturally competent physicians.

Preserving operative volume in the setting of the 2011 ACGME duty hour regulations

OBJECTIVES

The reported influence of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education resident duty hour limitations on operative case volume has been mixed. Additional restrictions instituted in July 2011 further limited the work hours of postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) residents, threatening to reduce availability for educational and operative activities. In this study, we evaluate our novel intern call schedule, which we hypothesized would preserve operative experience despite these increased restrictions.

DESIGN

A retrospective analysis of PGY-1 operative reports was conducted. Operations outside of major case categories were excluded. Operative case volumes in the Section of General Surgery for the same period were analyzed, as were average duty hours for each resident. Comparative statistics were generated using Wilcoxon rank sum tests.

SETTING

Single-institution study conducted at the University of Michigan, a tertiary-care academic hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Overall, 50 categorical general surgery residents from 2005 to present were included. Three residents were subsequently excluded as they were preliminary interns rather than categorical; 2 residents were excluded having completed their intern years at other institutions.

RESULTS

The median number of major cases done during the PGY-1 for all evaluated residents was 89 (interquartile range [IQR]: 72-101). For interns between the years 2005 and 2011, the median number of major cases was 87 (IQR: 73-101), whereas interns in the 2011 to 2013 academic years performed 91.5 (IQR: 69.5-101.5, p = 0.91). Although case volume varied between intern classes, no significant differences were observed between any 2 individual classes in the study. Analysis of annual case volumes among each PGY revealed a relative increase of 29% (p < 0.001) among PGY-2 residents, and 20% (p = 0.02) by PGY-3 residents. Relative increases among senior residents (8% for both PGY-4 and PGY-5) did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Our novel call schedule attempts to minimize prolonged night-float coverage responsibilities for interns in hopes of preserving their operative experience. In spite of increased duty hour restrictions, PGY-1 operative volume has not decreased significantly at our institution. However, in the same time period, PGY-2 and PGY-3 case volume has increased. Our findings highlight the challenges faced by surgical residencies in light of these new restrictions, particularly the 16-hour limit. Additional rigorously designed prospective studies should be conducted to better understand the influence of the most recent Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education work hour limitations on the subjective and objective experiences of surgical residents.

A systematic review of the effects of resident duty hour restrictions in surgery: impact on resident wellness, training, and patient outcomes

BACKGROUND

In 2003, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandated 80-hour resident duty limits. In 2011 the ACGME mandated 16-hour duty maximums for PGY1 (post graduate year) residents. The stated goals were to improve patient safety, resident well-being, and education. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the impact of resident duty hours (RDH) on clinical and educational outcomes in surgery.

METHODS

A systematic review (1980-2013) was executed on CINAHL, Cochrane Database, Embase, Medline, and Scopus. Quality of articles was assessed using the GRADE guidelines. Sixteen-hour shifts and night float systems were analyzed separately. Articles that examined mortality data were combined in a random-effects meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of RDH on patient mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 135 articles met the inclusion criteria. Among these, 42% (N = 57) were considered moderate-high quality. There was no overall improvement in patient outcomes as a result of RDH; however, some studies suggest increased complication rates in high-acuity patients. There was no improvement in education related to RDH restrictions, and performance on certification examinations has declined in some specialties. Survey studies revealed a perception of worsened education and patient safety. There were improvements in resident wellness after the 80-hour workweek, but there was little improvement or negative effects on wellness after 16-hour duty maximums were implemented.

CONCLUSIONS

Recent RDH changes are not consistently associated with improvements in resident well-being, and have negative impacts on patient outcomes and performance on certification examinations. Greater flexibility to accommodate resident training needs is required. Further erosion of training time should be considered with great caution.

A qualitative assessment of internal medicine resident perceptions of graduate medical education following implementation of the 2011 ACGME duty hour standards

BACKGROUND

In 2011, the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education implemented updated guidelines for medical resident duty hours, further limiting continuous work hours for first-year residents. We sought to investigate the impact of these restrictions on graduate medical education among internal medicine residents.

METHODS

We conducted eight focus groups with internal medicine residents at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 06/2012-07/2012. Discussion questions included, "How do you feel the 2011 ACGME work hour restrictions have impacted your graduate medical education?" Transcripts of the focus groups were reviewed and themes identified using a deductive/inductive approach. Participants completed a survey to collect demographic information and future practice plans.

RESULTS

Thirty-four residents participated in our focus groups. Five themes emerged: decreased teaching, decreased experiential learning, shift-work mentality, tension between residency classes, and benefits and opportunities. Residents reported that since implementation of the guidelines, teaching was often deferred to complete patient-care tasks. Residents voiced concern that PGY-1 s were not receiving adequate clinical experience and that procedural and clinical reasoning skills are being negatively impacted. PGY-1 s reported being well-rested and having increased time for independent study.

CONCLUSIONS

Residents noted a decline in teaching and are concerned with the decrease in "hands-on" clinical education that is inevitably impacted by fewer hours in the hospital, though some benefits were also reported. Future studies are needed to further elucidate the impact of decreased resident work hours on graduate medical education.

Multifaceted longitudinal study of surgical resident education, quality of life, and patient care before and after July 2011

OBJECTIVES

Resident duty-hour regulatory changes in July 2011 led to dramatic modifications in the structure of many surgical training programs in the United States. These changes were hypothesized to have effects on the quality of life and education of residents, and the patient care they deliver. Our study aims to measure changes in these domains among junior and senior residents before and after implementation of the latest regulations.

DESIGN

Longitudinal cohort study comparing objective and subjective metrics of education, patient care, and quality of life among all surgical residents at one institution.

SETTING

Tertiary academic medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

All residents in the Department of Surgery over 2 years (n = 97) were included. The included electronic survey had 30 and 36 responses in 2011 and 2012, respectively (overall 68% response rate).

RESULTS

Operative cases increased for residents at all postgraduate year levels. No significant differences in in-training examination scores were observed. Comparison of subjective data from the program evaluation and developed survey revealed a significant decrease in perception of resident clinical skill development (4.31/5 in 2011 to 4.15/5 in 2012, p = 0.02). Residents reported decreased quality of operative experiences (83% to 59%, p = 0.04), and less independence evaluating patient problems (90% to 61%, p < 0.01). Levels of burnout were high in the entire group, but decreased significantly over the study period (93% and 75% in 2011 and 2012, respectively, p = 0.05), with the largest difference seen in individuals with "high burnout" (43% and 11%, in 2011 and 2012, respectively, p < 0.01). Residents met criteria for "sleepiness" before and after the 16-hour rule implementation (68% and 67%, in 2011 and 2012, respectively, p = 0.92).

CONCLUSIONS

Following the July 2011 duty-hour changes, surgical residents report a negative effect on their education, with decreased clinical skill progression and perceptions of operative experience quality and patient care independence. Improvements in quality of life metrics, including burnout, were observed.

Follow-up on a national survey: american neurosurgery resident opinions on the 2011 accreditation council for graduate medical education-implemented duty hours

OBJECTIVE

We previously performed a nationwide survey of American neurosurgical residents before the initiation of the 2011 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education regulations, in which more than 70% indicated the proposed changes would negatively impact residency training. We sought to resurvey the resident population as to the actual changes that occurred to their programs after the 2011 standards went into effect.

METHODS

Surveys were mailed to every neurosurgery training program in the United States and Puerto Rico. Program directors and coordinators were asked to distribute surveys to their residents.

RESULTS

A total of 253 neurosurgery residents responded. Reported duty-hour violations were largely unchanged after the 2011 duty-hour changes. Sixty-percent of residents reported that they had underreported duty hours, with nearly 25% of respondents doing so on a weekly or daily basis. Most reported that the 2011 changes had not affected operative caseload, academic productivity, quality of life, or resident fatigue. The majority of residents disagreed or strongly disagreed that the PGY-1 16-hour limitation had a positive impact on first-year resident training (69%) or had improved patient safety (62%). Overall, the majority of respondents reported that the 2011 changes had a negative (35%) or negligible (33%) effect on residency training at their institution.

CONCLUSION

Respondents indicated that the 2011 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education regulations have had a smaller perceived effect on neurosurgical training programs than previously predicted. However, the majority of residents admitted to underreporting duty hours, with a quarter doing so on a regular basis. The 16-hour rule for interns remains unpopular.