[Analysis of the training and teaching situation of anaesthesiology and resuscitation tutors in Spain: a proposal for improvement].

OBJECTIVES

To determine the current situation of the tutors in our specialty as regards resident/tutor ratios, times they have available to develop their work, the training that they have received to perform their function, and whether this is recognised by official bodies, other than by their own hospital. Furthermore, to determine the teaching and research work taught to the residents through the sessions, as well as their participation in publications per year. To find out their opinion of the tutors as regards unifying training contents, whether or not they have objective tests on finishing their residency, and their willingness to take part in the project promoted by the Teaching Section of SEDAR to carry out a common minimum theoretical-practical programme throughout the whole of Spain.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A questionnaire with the aforementioned questions was sent to Anaesthesiology Teach Units through the different regional coordinators, during the years 2008-2010.

RESULTS

A total of 77/106 (72.6%) Teaching Units responded. The mean ratio of residents per tutor was 5.6±3.3. More than 60% of the tutors had not attended any training course or even how to join one in the two years of the study; 62.3% did not have specific time available to develop their role as tutors, and in 18.2%, their work was only recognised by health institutions. The number of teaching sessions for residents per year was 5.0±4.0 and the number of publications was 1.6±1.4. Almost all of them (98.7%) believe it was necessary to produce a programme that would ensure similar minimum theoretical-practical training plans and that on their own initiative had been carried out in 70% of Teaching Units, but without uniform criteria. Almost three-quarters (74%) had not presented any resident to the European Examination of Anaesthesia in the last few years, and 87% considered the system of evaluating residents as inadequate, with 79% in favour of having a final exam or test.

CONCLUSIONS

The tutor/resident ratio should according to that stipulated. Time needs to be set aside for teaching, separate from care work, and our tutors, in general, lack specific training courses, and these are very disparate. There is a general demand to have a training programme of common minimum theoretical-practical skills. It is considered that the current evaluation system is inadequate, but there is no unanimity in whether or not to have an exam at the end of the residency, although the European Examination could be the model to consider in this regard.