Feedback from chief residents about proposed revisions of the special requirements for internal medicine residencies.

PURPOSE

To receive feedback from chief medical residents about what they and their residents would think of proposed revisions of the Special Requirements for Residency Programs in Internal Medicine.

METHOD

A 71-item questionnaire was mailed in the fall of 1991 to a chief resident at each of 426 U.S. internal medicine residencies. A five-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree), was used. In addition, the chief residents were asked for qualitative comments. The chief residents were requested to reflect residents' opinions when completing the questionnaire.

RESULTS

272 (64%) of the questionnaires were returned. The mean rating for all questions was 2.12, SD, 0.66. The 12 changes most strongly supported (means < or = 1-1.46) included enhanced training in interviewing, communication, and interpersonal skills and in physical examination skills; emphasis on residency as an educational experience and on general internal medicine in the design of core lectures and ambulatory care clinics; and a requirement for written parental leave policies. Areas of moderate to less strong agreement included requirements for faculty and resident research, and that residents report moonlighting experiences to their program directors.

CONCLUSION

The chief residents supported most of the proposed revisions of the Special Requirements, including a new proposal for enhancing professionalism in residency. The data reinforce the need to make residency education consonant with the practice of medicine and the changing demographics of the profession as well as to address resident indebtedness.