Supervisor and self-ratings of graduates from a medical school with a problem-based learning and standard curriculum track

Abstract

Background: Medical schools recognize the importance of following up on graduates to evaluate performance during residency. Such performance is of particular interest for schools with problem-based learning (PBL) and conventional curriculum tracks.

Purposes: Our purposes were to determine any differences in ratings of resident performance in 3 competency areas compared across two different curriculum tracks, 1st and 3rd postgraduate years, and self versus supervisor.

Methods: Performance ratings by residents and their supervisors for the 9 years during which 2 curriculum tracks were operative were analyzed using t tests. Effect sizes for statistically significant results were calculated.

Results: Several comparisons found differences, although effect sizes were almost uniformly small. The exception was the rating of self-directed learning habits, in which graduates from the problem-based track rated themselves higher than graduates from the standard curriculum (both Years 1 and 3) and higher than their supervisors in Year 3.

Conclusions: Ratings by supervisors for both groups and both rating times are above average in the rating scale. Supervisors differentiated between the curricula tracks in postgraduate year 3 (PGY-3), rating Standard Curriculum graduates higher than PBL graduates in 5 of 6 noncognitive items and in two of three general ratings. Supervisor ratings increased between PGY-1 and PGY-3 for Standard Curriculum graduates in 9 of the competencies, whereas there were no changes for PBL graduates. In conclusion, performance differences and effect sizes are minimal, and it is possible to conclude that graduates from the 2 curricular tracks achieve at similar levels during their residency programs.