Operative note dictation: should it be taught routinely in residency programs?

OBJECTIVE

To determine the extent of formal education regarding operative dictation in U.S. Obstetrics and Gynecology residency programs and to prospectively evaluate the effectiveness of formal teaching regarding operative dictation.

METHODS

A 1-page questionnaire was mailed to all U.S. Obstetrics and Gynecology residency program directors (n = 270). The operative dictations of all Obstetrics and Gynecology residents at the University of Iowa before and after a 30-minute formal teaching session were evaluated using a scoring system developed by the authors of this study (scale 0-20).

RESULTS

A 73% response rate (n = 198) was obtained from the surveys. The results from the survey demonstrated that only 23% of programs provide formal teaching regarding operative dictations; however, 83% of the residency program directors felt that it is an important skill to teach. All 16 obstetrics and gynecology residents at the University of Iowa attended a 30-minute teaching session on operative dictation. The mean scores for all residents improved from 9.06 to 18.56 after a formal teaching session (P <.001). The preteaching scores comparing the 4 classes of residents also varied significantly (ranging from a score of 5.5 for first-year residents to 11.25 for the fourth-year residents, P =.009). There were no differences between scores among the residents after they attended the formal teaching session (P =.11).

CONCLUSION

Formal teaching of operative dictation is uncommon in U.S. residency programs but felt to be important by most residency program directors. A brief teaching session is effective and may be useful during residency training.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

II-3