Resident acquisition of knowledge during a noontime conference series.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Noontime conferences are widely used in family practice residencies. This study determined the effectiveness of noontime conferences for increasing residents\u27 knowledge. METHODS: Twenty residents were tested monthly over 6 months and then cumulatively on the content of noontime conferences. RESULTS: Monthly test scores of attendees versus nonattendees were compared using a two-sample, two-tail t test. Results revealed the mean score of attendees for short-term knowledge to be 12.1 points higher than nonattendees. There was no correlation, however, between conference attendance and long-term knowledge retention. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate a lack of correlation between noontime conference attendance and long-term cumulative test scores. The results question the value of noontime conferences as a teaching method

Resident knowledge acquisition during a block conference series.

OBJECTIVE: This study\u27s objective was to determine whether attendance at lectures in a block conference format improves residents\u27 knowledge. METHODS: Seventeen family medicine residents were tested on the content of 27 lectures delivered in a block conference format over a 6-month period. For each lecture, residents completed a pretest, a short-term posttest, and a long-term posttest (1--3 weeks and 1.5--6 months after each lecture, respectively). RESULTS: Mean short-term posttest scores were 10.3 points higher for lecture attendees than nonattendees. Mean long-term posttest scores did not differ significantly for attendees (62.2) versus nonattendees (60.0). CONCLUSIONS: Attendance at didactic lectures in a block conference format did not improve resident knowledge over the long term. These results lead us to question the value of a block conference format and raise the possibility that resident learning might be better served by maximizing clinical experiences and minimizing time in conferences