Transitions to Life After Residency: A Curriculum for Senior Emergency Medicine Residents
Abstract
Learning Objectives: To understand the value of a senior EM resident curriculum that introduces knowledge and skills for successful navigation through the life and career transitions that occur during the final year of training.
Introduction: The final year of residency is filled with refining clinical skill and knowledge, but also with anticipation of professional and personal changes as residents prepare for the transition to life as an attending. There is existing literature to demonstrate a lack of resident familiarity in several personal and professional skills necessary to navigate life after residency, but there is sparse literature on curricula dedicated to guiding trainees in making a successful transition.
Educational Objectives: To deliver an aptly timed curriculum to senior EM residents with the goal of introducing desired knowledge and skills for successful navigation through the life and career transitions that occur during the final year of training.
Curricular Design: The design followed Kern’s steps of curriculum development. A targeted needs assessment was administered to recent alumni and identified 8 key topics: contract negotiation, supervising midlevel providers, debt repayment, personal finance, critical care billing, documentation, insurance, home buying. An abbreviated pilot was delivered in May 2021, which promoted modifications in timing of content delivery. The curriculum is now delivered longitudinally with sessions timed in conjunction with when residents will be able to apply the content. Sessions include brief interactive lectures followed by group discussions. They are given by faculty/alumni with interest/expertise in the content area.
Impact/Effectiveness: Preliminary data from the pilot was collected via pre/post curricular surveys and demonstrated a post-curricular improvement in >72% of perceived proficiency measures. Success in life as an attending is not solely built on medical knowledge and clinical ability, but also on practical life skills that are often overlooked during residency. We encourage residency program educators to incorporate dedicated time towards teaching these skills as a part of training residents for independent practice.