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Review
. 2015 Dec;7(4):574-9.
doi: 10.4300/JGME-D-14-00606.1.

Benchmarks for Support and Outcomes for Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Programs: A 5-Year Review

Michael Aronica, Ronald Williams, Princess E Dennar, Robert H Hopkins Jr
Review

Benchmarks for Support and Outcomes for Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Programs: A 5-Year Review

Michael Aronica et al. J Grad Med Educ. 2015 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Combined internal medicine and pediatrics (medicine-pediatrics) residencies were Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited separately from their corresponding categorical residencies in June 2006.

Objective: We investigated how ACGME accreditation of medicine-pediatrics programs has affected the levels of support (both financial and personnel), the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) match rate, performance on the board examination, and other graduate outcomes.

Methods: From 2009 through 2013 we sent an annual SurveyMonkey online survey to members of the Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association. Questions pertained to program characteristics, program director support, recruitment, ambulatory training, and graduate data. More than 79% of responders completed the entire survey for each year (sample size was 60 program directors).

Results: Compared to the time prior to accreditation of the specialty, there was an increase in program directors who are dually trained (89% versus 93%), an increase in program director salary ($134,000 before accreditation versus $185,000 in 2013, P < .05), and an increase in the average full-time equivalent support (0.32 before accreditation versus 0.42 in 2013, P < .05). There was also an increase in programs with associate program directors (35% versus 78%), programs with chief residents (71% versus 91%), and an increase in program budgets controlled by program directors (52% versus 69%). The 2013 NRMP match rates increased compared to those of 2005 (99% versus 49%). Performance on the American Board of Pediatrics examination was comparable to that for pediatrics residents. Since accreditation, a larger number of residents are choosing careers in hospital medicine.

Conclusions: Our data show widespread improved support for medicine-pediatrics programs since the 2006 start of ACGME accreditation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: The authors declare they have no competing interests.

References

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