Assessment of residency program outcomes via alumni surveys

Figures & data

Figure 1 The reported educational effectiveness of residency training rotations (depicted as ranking based on respondent ratings) shows that most respondents rated emergency medicine as highly effective for private practice, whereas intensive care unit training was rated with a medium learning effect for private practice.

Notes: The vertical y-axis shows the rotation name as well as the number of respondents who completed and rated the rotation to the total number of respondents (n=28). The horizontal x-axis shows the 5-point Likert scale of: −− no learning effect (1), − little learning effect (2), +/− medium learning effect (3), + high learning effect (4), ++ very high learning effect (5). The bar graph markers represent mean scores; the bar graph range lines depict standard deviations.

Figure 2 Alumni reported that they would have preferred to learn competencies required for private practice pediatrics in different settings, depending on the subject.

Notes: Wound care, for example, would be preferentially learned in a hospital setting, whereas practice management would be best learned in a practice setting. The 3-item response choices were assigned scores of 1 (hospital), 2 (hospital and practice), or 3 (practice) for analytic purposes. The dots represent the mean of the combined responses of each competency.

Table 1 Summary of respondent data and demographics (S1, www.doctorfmh.ch, individual practice websites, and hospital human resources database)

Subgroup denominators				Number of alumni
Met inclusion criteria				109
Were board certified in pediatrics				98
With publicly available professional background data				95
Worked in hospital				55
Worked in private practice (eligible for S1 and S2)				46
Responded to S1				40
Responded to S2				28
Career choices (109 alumni)
	Individuals	Female alumni				% of all alumni
Private practice	46	35 (76%*)				42
Hospital	55	30 (55%*)				50
Lost to follow-up or left the field of pediatrics 8**						7
Professional background data (available from 95 alumni)
Time from graduation from medical school to board certification in pediatrics (years)		Mean 8.1 (SD 2.4; median 7)
		Gender					Female, mean 8.0; male, mean 8.2 (p=0.704)
		Career				Private practice, mean 8.5; hospital, mean 7.7 (p=0.089)
		Women/career				Private practice, mean 8.6; hospital, mean 7.3 (p=0.035)
Career choice and board certification among hospital pediatricians*** (55 alumni)
			Individuals		Female alumni			% of all alumni
Department of Pediatrics, Bern University Hospital			15		11 (73%)			14
Other university hospital in Switzerland			15		7 (47%)			14
Nonuniversity hospital in Switzerland			18		9 (50%)			15
Hospital abroad			7		3 (43%)			7
			Individuals		% of hospital pediatricians
Board certification in pediatrics			50		91
+1 Pediatric subspecialty			24		44
+2 Pediatric subspecialties			1		2
+ Another main specialty			7		13
Career choice and board certification among private practice pediatricians (46 alumni)
			Individuals			% of respondents
Single practice			4			10
Group practice			36			90
Providing additional hospital services			22			55
Providing urban/regional night calls			30			75
Employment
Independent practice (co)-owner						21 (66% female)
Employed by practice owner						19 (79% female)
Employment levels based on a 50-h week (mean; median)						60%; 55%
Employment levels, independent vs employed (mean)						67% vs 52% (p=0.031)
Working time per week (mean; median)						31 h; 28 h
Working time per week, independent vs employed (mean)						35 vs 26 h (p=0.040)
Workforce (FTE) generated by 40 physicians						23.9
			Individuals			% of practice pediatricians
Board certification in pediatrics			46			100
Plus 1 pediatric subspecialty			0			0
Plus another main specialty			1			2

Notes:

* More women among private practice pediatricians (p=0.04, Chi-square with Yates correction);

** 4 alumni left the specialty of pediatrics, 4 lost to follow-up;

*** Data from www.doctorfmh.ch as per March 31, 2015.

Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; FTE, full-time equivalents.

Figure 3 The time interval between 2 career decisions (selecting specialty of pediatrics vs selecting setting of private practice) per respondent (x-axis: − = before; + = after) is notable for the late-training decision to enter private practice.