Abstract
Background. Teaching the content of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) is important to both clinical care and graduate medical education. The objective of this study was to determine the characteristics of curricula for teaching the content of CPGs in family medicine and internal medicine residency programs in the United States. Methods. We surveyed the directors of family medicine and internal medicine residency programs in the United States. The questionnaire included questions about the characteristics of the teaching of CPGs: goals and objectives, educational activities, evaluation, aspects of CPGs that the program teaches, the methods of making texts of CPGs available to residents, and the major barriers to teaching CPGs. Results. Of 434 programs responding (out of 839, 52%), 14% percent reported having written goals and objectives related to teaching CPGs. The most frequently taught aspect was the content of specific CPGs (76%). The top two educational strategies used were didactic sessions (76%) and journal clubs (64%). Auditing for adherence by residents was the primary evaluation strategy (44%), although 36% of program directors conducted no evaluation. Programs made texts of CPGs available to residents most commonly in the form of paper copies (54%) while the most important barrier was time constraints on faculty (56%). Conclusion. Residency programs teach different aspects of CPGs to varying degrees, and the majority uses educational strategies not supported by research evidence.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 59 |
| Journal | Implementation Science |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2009 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We thank Ann Grifasi, Ethel Sharp, Denise McGuigan, and Karen Devlin for their administrative assistance. We also thank all directors of family medicine residency and internal medicine programs who contributed to this study. Research for Health in Erie County, Inc., the Graduate Medical Education of the University at Buffalo, and the Society of General Internal Medicine (through a Founders Award to EAA) funded this study. HJS is funded by a European Commission: The human factor, mobility and Marie Curie Actions. Scientist Reintegration Grant (IGR 42192). The sponsors had no role in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; and in the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.