Deepak K Gupta1, Namir Khandker2, Kristin Stacy3, Curtis M Tatsuoka4, David C Preston3. 1. The Neurological Institute of New York, Columbia University Medical Center, Columbia University, New York. 2. Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 3. Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. 4. Department of Neurology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
Abstract
Importance: Fundoscopic examination is an essential component of the neurologic examination. Competence in its performance is mandated as a required clinical skill for neurology residents by the American Council of Graduate Medical Education. Government and private insurance agencies require its performance and documentation for moderate- and high-level neurologic evaluations. Traditionally, assessment and teaching of this key clinical examination technique have been difficult in neurology residency training. Objective: To evaluate the utility of a simulation-based method and the traditional lecture-based method for assessment and teaching of fundoscopyto neurology residents. Design, Setting, and Participants: This study was a prospective, single-blinded, education research study of 48 neurology residents recruited from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016, at a large neurology residency training program. Participants were equally divided into control and intervention groups after stratification by training year. Baseline and postintervention assessments were performed using questionnaire, survey, and fundoscopy simulators. Interventions: After baseline assessment, both groups initially received lecture-based training, which covered fundamental knowledge on the components of fundoscopy and key neurologic findings observed on fundoscopic examination. The intervention group additionally received simulation-based training, which consisted of an instructor-led, hands-on workshop that covered practical skills of performing fundoscopic examination and identifying neurologically relevant findings on another fundoscopy simulator. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome measures were the postintervention changes in fundoscopy knowledge, skills, and total scores. Results:A total of 30 men and 18 women were equally distributed between the 2 groups. The intervention group had significantly higher mean (SD) increases in skills (2.5 [2.3] vs 0.8 [1.8], P = .01) and total (9.3 [4.3] vs 5.3 [5.8], P = .02) scores compared with the control group. Knowledge scores (6.8 [3.3] vs 4.5 [4.9], P = .11) increased nonsignificantly in both groups. Conclusions and Relevance: This study supports the use of a simulation-based method as a supplementary tool to the lecture-based method in the assessment and teaching of fundoscopic examination in neurology residency.
RCT Entities:
Importance: Fundoscopic examination is an essential component of the neurologic examination. Competence in its performance is mandated as a required clinical skill for neurology residents by the American Council of Graduate Medical Education. Government and private insurance agencies require its performance and documentation for moderate- and high-level neurologic evaluations. Traditionally, assessment and teaching of this key clinical examination technique have been difficult in neurology residency training. Objective: To evaluate the utility of a simulation-based method and the traditional lecture-based method for assessment and teaching of fundoscopy to neurology residents. Design, Setting, and Participants: This study was a prospective, single-blinded, education research study of 48 neurology residents recruited from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016, at a large neurology residency training program. Participants were equally divided into control and intervention groups after stratification by training year. Baseline and postintervention assessments were performed using questionnaire, survey, and fundoscopy simulators. Interventions: After baseline assessment, both groups initially received lecture-based training, which covered fundamental knowledge on the components of fundoscopy and key neurologic findings observed on fundoscopic examination. The intervention group additionally received simulation-based training, which consisted of an instructor-led, hands-on workshop that covered practical skills of performing fundoscopic examination and identifying neurologically relevant findings on another fundoscopy simulator. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome measures were the postintervention changes in fundoscopy knowledge, skills, and total scores. Results: A total of 30 men and 18 women were equally distributed between the 2 groups. The intervention group had significantly higher mean (SD) increases in skills (2.5 [2.3] vs 0.8 [1.8], P = .01) and total (9.3 [4.3] vs 5.3 [5.8], P = .02) scores compared with the control group. Knowledge scores (6.8 [3.3] vs 4.5 [4.9], P = .11) increased nonsignificantly in both groups. Conclusions and Relevance: This study supports the use of a simulation-based method as a supplementary tool to the lecture-based method in the assessment and teaching of fundoscopic examination in neurology residency.
Authors: Linda P Kelly; Philip S Garza; Beau B Bruce; Emily B Graubart; Nancy J Newman; Valérie Biousse Journal: Am J Ophthalmol Date: 2013-09-13 Impact factor: 5.258