Do surgical residents rated as better teachers perform better on in-training examinations?

doi:10.1016/S0002-9610(98)00306-7

The American Journal of Surgery

Volume 177, Issue 1, January 1999, Pages 33-37

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9610(98)00306-7 Get rights and content

Abstract

Background: There have been no attempts to objectively compare resident teaching ability with resident knowledge level.

Methods: Resident teaching ability, as rated by medical students and junior surgical residents, was compared with resident knowledge level, estimated by in-training examination results, for 18 PGY5 and PGY4 surgical residents at McGill University (September 1996 to July 1997).

Results: There was a trend to suggest that greater teaching ability is associated with higher in-training examination scores; this did not achieve statistical significance. PGY4 residents were rated as better teachers than PGY5 residents. Resident self-evaluation revealed a high degree of interest in teaching; inadequate time was the principal deterrent to resident teaching; enjoyment and learning during teaching were found to be the most common incentives.

Conclusions: Our results suggest an association between resident level of knowledge and teaching ability. The principal deterrent to teaching—inadequate time—must be addressed to effectively assist surgical resident teaching.

Section snippets

Participants

All McGill University general surgery residents (n = 23) in their fourth and fifth postgraduate year of residency (PGY4 and PGY5) of clinical training were initially enrolled in the study. As explained below, 20 residents had adequate evaluation of resident teaching ability (between September 1, 1996, and July 1, 1997), and of those, 18 residents had written the in-training examination. Thus, 18 residents (10 PGY4 and 8 PGY5) were evaluated in this study.

Evaluating resident teaching ability

Resident teaching ability was assessed

Resident level of knowledge versus teaching ability

In order to compare estimated resident level of knowledge (ITE scores) with teaching ability (student and junior resident ratings), linear regression analysis was performed. The linear correlation constant is low (r² = 0.08), and the slope of the derived linear approximation is positive. When separating resident teaching ability into quartiles, and calculating the mean ITE score, a positive trend was found. The Figure 1 demonstrates the mean ITE scores for each quartile of teaching ability.

Comments

Resident teaching is an important component to both resident and medical student education. The association between level of knowledge in residents and teaching ability has not been evaluated in the medical education literature. In this study, resident level of knowledge was estimated by the general surgery in-training examination result. Resident teaching was evaluated using the ratings of the medical students and junior residents.

Several points regarding the design of the experiment merit

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Findings were organized into five themes: eagerness, humility, confidence, team player, and adaptability. Each attitudinal theme was associated with specific actions that students adopted to encourage teaching behaviors from resident and faculty surgeons during their surgery rotations. Participants discussed the importance of students “seek[ing] out opportunities” for learning (eagerness) and being “willing to be wrong” (humility). Student expressions of confidence in their knowledge and skills were marked by following “steps that I know,” which signaled to teachers that they could be entrusted to participate in patient care. Students categorized as team players “follow[ed] up on information without specifically being told.” Finally, students categorized as adaptable responded to “immediate feedback” by making “adjustments.”
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¹: An abstract of this work was presented at the 18th Annual Meeting of the Association for Surgical Education, Vancouver, British Columbia, April 24, 1998.

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Original ArticlesDo surgical residents rated as better teachers perform better on in-training examinations?1

Abstract

Section snippets

Participants

Evaluating resident teaching ability

Resident level of knowledge versus teaching ability

Comments

The house officer as teacherwhat schools expect and measure

J Med Educ

House staff attitudes towards teaching

J Med Educ

Medical students’ perceptions of themselves and residents as teachers

Med Teach

Teaching behaviors of residents and faculty members

J Med Educ

Medical student opinions of the house officer as a medical educator

J Med Educ

Observational study of clinical clerkship activities

J Med Educ

Training residents in clinical teaching skillsa resident-managed program

Med Teach

Teaching residents how to teacha one-year study

J Med Educ

Original Articles
Do surgical residents rated as better teachers perform better on in-training examinations?1