RT Journal
A1 Webb TP, Weigelt JA, Redlich PN, Anderson RC, Brasel KJ, Simpson D
T1 PRotected block curriculum enhances learning during general surgery residency training
JF Archives of Surgery
JO Archives of Surgery
YR 2009
FD February 1
VO 144
IS 2
SP 160
OP 166
DO 10.1001/archsurg.2008.558
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archsurg.2008.558
AB Background 
    Changes in medical education require a rethinking of our training paradigm. We implemented a protected block curriculum for postgraduate year (PGY)–1 and PGY-2 surgery residents.Hypothesis 
    A protected block curriculum promotes adult learning consistent with the 6 competencies.Design 
    Prospective static-group comparison with pretesting and posttesting.Setting 
    Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.Participants 
    Eight university-based surgical residents (curriculum group) and 8 residents who did not participate in the curriculum (control group).Main Outcome Measures 
    The curriculum occurs during protected time away from clinical activity. Predefined learning objectives and competencies were identified for PGY-1 and PGY-2 residents. Multiple choice examinations were administered to assess knowledge. The first 3 tests of the year in the PGY-2 curriculum were also given to the PGY-3 and PGY-4 and -5 residents for comparison with curriculum residents. In-training examination scores of control and curriculum residents were compared. Surgical and communication skills were assessed using checklist assessment forms. Curriculum residents evaluated the content and delivery.Results 
    Pretest and posttest results demonstrated acquisition of knowledge with improved aggregated mean scores from 57.5% to 71.4% for PGY-1 residents and 58.6% to 72.6% for PGY-2 residents. The average curriculum test results were 76.7% for curriculum residents, 56.9% for control residents, and 57.3% for all residents. The 2-year average in-training scores were 71.2% for curriculum and 60.3% for control residents. Assessments demonstrated improvements in communication and surgical skills.Conclusions 
    A protected block curriculum enhanced surgical residents' learning compared with a traditional model. Improvement in medical knowledge was easiest to measure, but performance in other Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competency areas also demonstrated improvement.