Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI.
Michigan State University, Lansing, MI.
Fam Med. 2024 Feb;56(2):94-101. doi: 10.22454/FamMed.2023.160547. Epub 2023 Nov 15.
The family medicine (FM) approach to health care across the life span is well-suited to providing care for persons living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Little is known about ASD curricula in FM residency training and the characteristics of FM residency programs that prepare their residents to care for persons with this disorder.
Our study questions were part of a larger omnibus survey by the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) with data collection from November 16 to December 18, 2022, from FM residency program directors (PDs). ASD curricula were investigated using 10 questions, with descriptive analyses and nonparametric comparisons between program variables and ASD curriculum.
The response rate was 42.18%, with FM PDs reporting that their programs were preparing residents in the care of youth (71.53%) and adults (68.33%) with ASD, but to a lesser extent (58.89%) in facilitating transitions of care. Programs with faculty champions, access to published curricula, sufficient patients with ASD, and engagement of interprofessional faculty reported a higher proportion of resident preparedness. PDs of community-based programs were most confident in their ability to teach ASD care and transitions of care.
Most FM PDs modestly agreed that they are preparing residents to provide care to patients with ASD and their families. PDs of programs with greater access to resources (ie, published curriculum, faculty champions, sufficient patients with ASD, interprofessional faculty experts) believed that their residents were more prepared. Community-based FM educators may help lead the way in providing models for care and education in this regard.
全生命周期的家庭医学（FM）医疗方法非常适合为自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）患者提供护理。关于 FM 住院医师培训中的 ASD 课程以及为准备为患有这种疾病的患者提供护理的 FM 住院医师培训计划的特点，我们知之甚少。
我们的研究问题是学术家庭医学教育研究联盟理事会（CERA）的一项更大的综合调查的一部分，该调查于 2022 年 11 月 16 日至 12 月 18 日向 FM 住院医师培训计划主任（PD）收集数据。使用 10 个问题调查 ASD 课程，对计划变量和 ASD 课程之间进行描述性分析和非参数比较。
回应率为 42.18%，FM PD 报告他们的计划正在为 ASD 青年（71.53%）和成人（68.33%）的患者提供护理，但在促进护理过渡方面的准备程度较低（58.89%）。拥有教职员工拥护者、可以使用已发表课程、有足够 ASD 患者和参与跨专业教职员工的计划报告了更高比例的居民准备情况。以社区为基础的项目的 PD 对他们教授 ASD 护理和过渡护理的能力最有信心。
大多数 FM PD 略微同意他们正在培训居民为 ASD 患者及其家属提供护理。拥有更多资源（即已发表课程、教职员工拥护者、足够的 ASD 患者、跨专业教职员工专家）的计划的 PD 认为他们的居民准备更充分。以社区为基础的 FM 教育者可能在提供这方面的护理和教育模式方面发挥带头作用。
