Abstract
Objective. To evaluate the efficacy of a training program in pediatric intensive care for pediatric residents. Design. A prospective observational study. Setting. A pediatric intensive care unit. Interventions and measurements. A training program for residents in pediatrics. We performed an initial and final written theoretical test, an evaluation by the physician responsible for the program, a self-assessment by the residents, and a written survey on the quality of the training program. Results. Fifty-three pediatric residents were included in the training program. All residents showed improvement between the initial and final written theoretical tests [initial score 4.8±1.2, final score 8.3±0.8, p<0.001]. Only 7.5% of the residents answered correctly at least 70% of the questions in the initial theoretical test, compared with 94.1% in the final test [p<0.001]. The score in the final theoretical test, 8.3±0.8, was significantly higher than the residents’ self-evaluation, 6.7±0.9, and the evaluation by the tutor, 6.7±0.8 [p<0.001]. There were no differences between the residents’ self-evaluation of practical learning [6.2±1.0] and the evaluation of this by the tutor [6.5±0.9]. Residents considered the training program to be adequate [theoretical training 8.3±0.8, residents’ handbook 9±0.9, practical teaching 8.1±1.2, research 7.4±2.1, and human relationships 9.1±1]. Conclusions. This training program appears to be a useful educational method for theoretical and practical training in pediatric intensive care for the pediatric residents. The evaluation is essential to control the results of pediatric resident training.