S01E17 - Clinical duties, resident performance, and program performance

The Myers Hurt Method Podcast

Today I’ll continue the series of questions you need to ask programs with three more areas of focus. Remember that each and every program will have some time for you to ask THEM questions. Not asking anything makes you come across as uninterested, asking something you can look up online makes you look like you didn’t do your homework, and asking good questins can show taht you know what you are talking about.

I’ll follow the AAMC document introduced last episode, link in the shownotes, and and cover three new topics. My goal is to explain the logic behind them, and let you know what to expect in an answer.

Clinical Duties

• What is the general call schedule?
• What provisions are made for back-up call or sick-call coverage?
• What type of structure for supervision is in place?
• Do your residents express that there is an appropriate balance between independence and supervision?
• How does the resident’s autonomy change as he/she progresses through the program?
• What type of ancillary support is available (phlebotomy, respiratory therapy, social workers, etc.)?
• Does the general volume of clinical responsibility support a balance between service and education?
• Do your residents express they are involved in too much non-educational activity (i.e., “scut work”)?

Resident Performance

• How often are residents evaluated?
• What is the structure of the evaluation (forms, face-to-face, etc.)?
• What other forms of feedback does the resident receive ( in-training exam, etc.)?
• What support structures are in place for residents in academic need?

Program Performance

• What is the status of the program’s accreditation?
• If there were any citations at the last review, what has been done to correct them?
• When is the next Residency Review Committee (RRC) review?
• Are there any plans for changing the program size or structure?
• What is the status of the last Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Institutional Review?
• How solid is the financial status of the sponsoring institution?
• How committed is your institution to resident education and graduate medical education in general? How isthis evidenced?
• What percent of your residents complete your program?
• What percent of your graduates pass the specialty boards on their first attempt?
• Where do your graduates go (e.g., fellowship, academics, private practice)?

Closing:

Unfortunately that’s all the time we have for today’s show. Thanks for listening, hope you enjoyed the content and find it useful.

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