Transitioning from medical school to residency: Evaluation of an innovative immersion rotation for PGY-1 paediatric residents

: Transition from medical school to residency is stressful due to new responsibilities in patient care. Objective: To evaluate a new immersion curriculum on the transition from medical school to paediatric residency and its implications for future use in paediatric education. Methods: In July 2013, a month-rotation offering one-third of time for clinical rounds and two-thirds of time for formal courses was conducted for postgraduate year 1 residents beginning paediatric residency training. Surveys were administered to residents before and after this rotation about their self-confidence in several paediatrics topics and abilities. Results: Eleven junior residents were enrolled (100% participation rate). Among this cohort, pre- and postintervention confidence surveys showed differences for neonatalogy (P<0.001), respiratory distress (P=0.01) and seizure management skills (P<0.001). Among abilities surveyed, significant differences were noted for medical emergencies (P<0.001) and drug prescriptions (P<0.002). The healthy childcare item was the only topic with decreased self-confidence levels. Overall, 45.5% of participants felt confident and ready to begin clinical rotations in the paediatric program following completion of the rotation. Conclusion: First year paediatric residents who participated in this new curriculum felt their confidence was enhanced in several areas of paediatrics. These findings supported our program committee members in their decision to pursue this rotation since 2013, and may be generalizable to other programs and institutions.