Family medicine
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Training models in the Length of Training Pilot (LOTP) vary. How innovations in training length affect patient visits and resident perceptions of continuity is unknown. ⋯ Resident visits were significantly different at each PGY level when comparing 3YR and 4YR programs in the LOTP and the additional year of training resulted in about 1,000 more total visits. Resident perspectives on the adequacy of their continuity clinic experience appeared to not be affected by length of training. Future research should explore how the volume of patient visits performed in residency affects scope of practice and clinical preparedness.
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Diagnosing skin disorders is a core skill in family medicine residency. Accurate diagnosis of skin cancers has a significant impact on patient health. Dermoscopy improves a physician's accuracy in diagnosing skin cancers. We aimed to quantify the current state of dermoscopy use and training in family medicine residencies. ⋯ Despite reasonable access to a dermatoscope and the presence of at least one faculty member with dermoscopy experience, most family medicine residency programs provided limited dermoscopy training opportunities. Research is needed to better understand how to facilitate dermoscopy training in family medicine residencies.
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The influence of racism in medicine is increasingly acknowledged, and the negative effect of systemic racism on individual and population health is well established. Yet, little is known about how or whether medical students are being educated on this topic. This study investigated the presence and features of curricula related to systemic racism in North American family medicine clerkships. ⋯ In more than half of family medicine clerkships, systemic racism is not addressed, despite interest from students and institutional support. A higher number of hours of faculty training time on the topic of racism was associated with having a systemic racism module in the clerkship curriculum, but we lacked data to identify a causal relationship. Investments in faculty development to teach systemic racism, including discussion of structural competency, are needed.
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The United States is facing a primary care physician shortage that is predicted to continue through the next decade. Determining why graduating medical students pursue a career in family medicine may inform efforts to help address this shortage. ⋯ Strengthening students' exposures and perceptions of family medicine and family medicine research may create viable opportunities for intervention by departments of family medicine and medical schools seeking to increase the number of graduates entering family medicine.
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Despite decades of new policy guidelines and mandatory training modules, sexual harassment (SH) and gender bias (GB) continue in academic medicine. The hierarchical structure of medical training makes it challenging to act when one experiences or witnesses SH or GB. Most trainings designed to address SH and GB are driven by external mandates and do not utilize current educational techniques. Our goal was to design training that is in-person, active, and directed toward skills development. ⋯ We demonstrated that voluntary, interactive training sessions using the recommendations of the National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine Report on the Sexual Harassment of Women improve participants' reported confidence in recognizing, responding to, and reporting SH and GB in one academic FM department. This training intervention is practical and can be disseminated and implemented in many settings.