Newly graduated doctors: solid general education or solid specialized training?

OBJETIVO: Investigar os efeitos da especialização precoce - dedicação seletiva a uma especialidade médica no período de graduação - sobre a formação geral dos médicos recém-formados. CASUÍSTICA E MÉTODOS: Candidatos ao processo seletivo a Programas de Residência Médica 2008 (PSPRM), formados na FMUSP em 2007 (universo = 163), destacados e agrupados por carreira pretendida (CP). Este estudo foca o desempenho no PSPRM e no histórico escolar. Análise intergrupos - candidatos a determinada CP x demais candidatos FMUSP e intragrupos - desempenho em diferentes áreas de conhecimento (AC) x média nas demais áreas. Coeficientes de correlação - entre fases do PSPRM e histórico. P < 0,05. RESULTADOS E CONCLUSÕES: Existe correlação entre histórico e PSPRM. De acordo com os dados investigados, houve tendência de especialização precoce em GO (obstetrícia e ginecologia), PQ (psiquiatria) e PED (pediatria), com prejuízo em áreas de conhecimento não diretamente relacionadas à carreira pretendida. Candidatos à CM (clínica médica) apresentaram desempenho globalmente superior ao dos demais nas provas e no histórico, possivelmente devido ao interesse mais abrangente por toda a Medicina, que levaria a uma formação mais ampla e sólida.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of early specialization (defined here as concentrated dedication to a single specialty during undergraduate medical school) on the general skills of newly graduated doctors. SAMPLE AND METHODS: Applicants for Admission to Medical Residency Programs at the University of São Paulo who had recently finished the undergraduate medical course at the same institution (n=163), grouped by specialty of choice. The study focused on applicants' performance in admissions exams and their undergraduate grade point average. Intergroup analysis - Applicants for a specific career versus other applicants. Intra-group analysis - Performance in each respective field of knowledge versus mean performance in the other areas studied. Correlation coefficients - between each admissions exam, and between undergraduate GPA and exams. Significance level: p<0.05. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: There was a tendency towards early specialization in Obstetrics-Gynecology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics, with a loss of performance in areas not directly related to the specialty choice. Applicants for the Residency Program in Internal Medicine showed overall higher grades on the residency admissions exam and undergraduate GPA, possibly due to a broader and more comprehensive interest in Medicine

Evaluation of the impact of collaborative work by teams from the National Medical Residency Committee and the Brazilian Society of Neurosurgery. Retrospective and prospective study

ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Training for specialist physicians in Brazil can take place in different ways. Closer liaison between institutions providing this training and assessment and health care services may improve qualifications. This article analyzes the impact of closer links and joint work by teams from the National Medical Residency Committee (Comissão Nacional de Residência Médica, CNRM) and the Brazilian Society of Neurosurgery (Sociedade Brasileira de Neurocirurgia, SBN) towards evaluating these programs. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective and prospective study, conducted in a public university on a pilot project developed between CNRM and SBN for joint assessment of training programs across Brazil. METHODS: The literature in the most relevant databases was reviewed. Documents and legislation produced by official government bodies were evaluated. Training locations were visited. Reports produced about residency programs were analyzed. RESULTS: Only 26% of the programs were immediately approved. The joint assessments found problems relating to teaching and to functioning of clinical service in 35% of the programs. The distribution of programs in this country has a strong relationship with the Human Development Index (HDI) of the regions and is very similar to the distribution of specialists. CONCLUSION: Closer collaboration between the SBN and CNRM had a positive impact on assessment of neurosurgery medical residency across the country. The low rates of direct approval have produced modifications and improvements to the quality of teaching and care (services). Closer links between the CNRM and other medical specialties have the capability to positively change the structure and function of specialty training in Brazil

Duração do internato influencia o desempenho no exame de residência médica

OBJECTIVES: Medical education encompasses globally diverse context and conditions. The Brazilian scenario seemed a natural environment to study the influence of medical education programs and internship duration on the entrance exam for medical residency. This investigation evaluates some methods used during the entrance exam for medical residency as a means to make a distinction between candidates with longer clerkships. METHODS: Candidates selected for a residency program performed a multiple-choice (MC), an open question (OQ) and OSCE-like tests, an interview and a curriculum analysis for participation in scientific meetings, papers published and voluntary activities. Groups were compared for gender, year of graduation, tests and OSCE scores. RESULTS: Participants were distributed into two groups based on clerkship duration: 2 years or less than 2 years. There was no difference for the MCT score among groups or any of the activities from interview and curriculum analysis. The 2 years clerkship group showed significantly higher OQ (p=0.009) and OSCE-like affective (p=0.025) and knowledge (p=0.002) scores. CONCLUSION: The OSCE test identified some aspects related to competence acquisition and assessed basic skills and attitudes essential to the supervised practice of medicine during residency. OSCE discriminated aspects not perceived by the sole use of knowledge tests.OBJETIVOS: A educação médica mostra contextos e condições globalmente diversas. O cenário no Brasil pode ser considerado um ambiente natural para se estudar a influência da diversidade dos programas de educação médica bem como a duração do internato no exame de entrada para residência médica. Esta investigação avalia alguns métodos usados no exame de entrada para residência médica como métodos para diferenciar os candidatos com internatos mais longos. MÉTODOS: Candidatos selecionados para um programa de residência executaram um teste múltiplas-escolhas (MCT), teste com perguntas abertas (OQ) e o OSCE, além de uma entrevista e uma análise de currículo para avaliar participações em reuniões científicas, artigos publicados e atividades voluntárias. Foram comparados grupos pelo gênero, ano de graduação, resultados dos testes e do OSCE. RESULTADOS: Os participantes foram distribuídos em dois grupos baseados na duração do internato: 2-anos ou menos de 2 anos. Não houve nenhuma diferença para a pontuação no MCT entre os grupos ou por quaisquer das atividades de entrevista e análise de currículo. O grupo de internato de 2-anos mostrou OQ mais alto (p =0.009) bem como os resultados do OSCE afetivo (p =0.025) e de conhecimento (p =0.002). CONCLUSÃO: O exame OSCE diferenciou alguns aspectos relacionados a aquisição de competências e pode avaliar habilidades básicas e atitudes que seriam essenciais à prática supervisionada de medicina durante residência médica. OSCE separou aspectos não notados pelo uso de testes de conhecimento ou múltiplas escolhas

Médicos recém-formados: sólida formação geral ou sólida formação especializada?

OBJETIVO: Investigar os efeitos da especialização precoce - dedicação seletiva a uma especialidade médica no período de graduação - sobre a formação geral dos médicos recém-formados. CASUÍSTICA E MÉTODOS: Candidatos ao processo seletivo a Programas de Residência Médica 2008 (PSPRM), formados na FMUSP em 2007 (universo = 163), destacados e agrupados por carreira pretendida (CP). Este estudo foca o desempenho no PSPRM e no histórico escolar. Análise intergrupos - candidatos a determinada CP x demais candidatos FMUSP e intragrupos - desempenho em diferentes áreas de conhecimento (AC) x média nas demais áreas. Coeficientes de correlação - entre fases do PSPRM e histórico. P < 0,05. RESULTADOS E CONCLUSÕES: Existe correlação entre histórico e PSPRM. De acordo com os dados investigados, houve tendência de especialização precoce em GO (obstetrícia e ginecologia), PQ (psiquiatria) e PED (pediatria), com prejuízo em áreas de conhecimento não diretamente relacionadas à carreira pretendida. Candidatos à CM (clínica médica) apresentaram desempenho globalmente superior ao dos demais nas provas e no histórico, possivelmente devido ao interesse mais abrangente por toda a Medicina, que levaria a uma formação mais ampla e sólida

Teaching skills for medical residents: are these important? A narrative review of the literature

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: There is extensive evidence, mainly from the United States and Canada, that points towards the need to train medical residents in teaching skills. Much of the “informal curriculum”, including professional values, is taught by residents when consultants are not around. Furthermore, data from the 1960s show the importance of acquiring these skills, not only for residents but also for all doctors. Teaching moments can be identified in simple daily situations, like discussing a clinical situation with patients and their families, planning patients’ care with the healthcare team or teaching peers and medical students. The aim here was to examine the significance of resident teaching courses and estimate the effectiveness of these courses and the state of the art in Brazil. METHODS: We conducted a review of the literature, using the MEDLINE, PubMed, SciELO and LILACS databases to extract relevant articles describing residents-as-teachers (RaT) programs and the importance of teaching skills for medical residents. This review formed part of the development of a doctoral project on medical education. RESULTS: Original articles, reviews and systematic reviews were used to produce this paper as part of a doctoral project. CONCLUSIONS: RaT programs are important in clinical practice and as role models for junior learners. Moreover, these educational programs improve residents’ self-assessed teaching behaviors and teaching confidence. On the other hand, RaT program curricula are limited by both the number of studies and their methodologies. In Brazil, there is no such experience, according to the data gathered here, except for one master’s thesis