Criteria for Excellence | Chapter 8: Process of residency education
Explore strategies for creating an effective, innovative residency education program.
Authors: John Gazewood, MD; Alan Douglass, MD; Judith Pauwels, MD
Building an effective residency education process
The process of resident education is more than simply assigning residents to various rotations and learning experiences and assuming they will learn and be competent to practice quality family medicine in the 21st century. It is necessary to have an overarching philosophy, as well as guiding principles focused on the adult learner, for the entire residency education process at a global level. (See the Curriculum Development section for information regarding individual residents’ development plans.)
Define a clear philosophy of residency education
A Program of Excellence has a written, well-defined philosophy of education that articulates the culture and atmosphere of education at the program level. This philosophy of education serves to supplement—not replace or restate—the residency’s specific overall outcome goals.
It defines both how the program will achieve those goals and the environment in which residents will be able to maximize their educational experiences. It includes descriptions of the education-to-service balance, the inpatient-to-ambulatory balance, unique features of the learning environment, and the integration of the mission and vision of the program and its sponsoring institution.
Create a competency-based, outcomes-driven education program
The process of education must be competency based and outcomes driven, actively developed with an eye to the ever-changing health care landscape. A Program of Excellence’s outcomes address the evolving scope and style of practice, both locally and nationally, and specifically anticipate what its graduates’ practices might look like in 10 years.
Local and regional community needs for family physicians are also specifically considered, and there is an active process to place the program’s graduates into these areas of need.
Furthermore, the process of education recognizes and considers the needs and desires of residents during curriculum design.
Continuously evaluate and improve the educational process
In a Program of Excellence, feedback from measurement of defined outcomes is used to continually modify and improve the educational process. Therefore, the process of education must be regularly reviewed and updated by identifying the correct outcomes and appropriately achieving those outcomes.
The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement process, or a similarly structured improvement process, should be applied continuously to the residency program’s process of education and integrated into the Annual Program Evaluation and Program Improvement Plan.
Apply adult learning principles in residency education
A Program of Excellence’s process of education is committed to the adult education model, which states that adult learners want to do the following:
Apply what they learn soon after they learn it.
Proceed at their own pace.
Learn concepts and solve problems rather than just learning facts.
Help define their learning objectives.
Receive feedback and evaluate their own progress.
Support individualized resident learning
The educational strategies developed by a Program of Excellence incorporate these principles.
In addition, residents’ individual learning styles and needs are assessed and addressed in individual learning plans to maximize the effectiveness of residents’ acquisition of the desired skills and knowledge. The program director and core faculty must be familiar with evaluation types and domains and trained in the appropriate use of evaluation tools.
Foster lifelong learning and innovation
A Program of Excellence fosters lifelong learning as a habit for residents. It stimulates and supports the intellectual curiosity of residents about the conditions affecting their patients. It also encourages them to have a spirit of self-discovery as they search resources for answers.
Use technology to enhance resident education
A Program of Excellence utilizes multiple forms of technology to enhance the educational process and match the needs and abilities of learners. The program will continuously look for new ways to utilize evolving technology in the educational process.
Encourage innovation in residency education
Finally, a Program of Excellence is innovative in approaching the process of education. Not only are new ideas, concepts, and methods welcomed, but they are sought out and adopted, while preserving the best of proven educational processes.