A simulation procedure curriculum to increase pediatric resident exposure to procedures rarely performed in clinical practice.

backgroundPediatrics residents are expected by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to competently perform 13 procedures. However, residents are graduating with poor self-perceived competency for these procedures.

objectiveWe developed a curriculum using simulation training at the beginning of internship and 'refresher' workshops throughout the year in order to increase procedure exposure and improve self-perceived competency.

designProcedural workshops were taught during intern orientation and to all pediatrics residents throughout the academic year. Residents provided a quantitative competency self-assessment before and after each workshop; interns provided an additional self-assessment at the end of the intern year.

resultsThe curriculum was well-liked and led to more procedural experience. Mean competency self-assessment scores improved immediately after almost every procedure workshop. Mean scores were retained at the end of intern year for most procedures. However, end-of-year mean competency self-assessment and procedural experience on actual patients were similar to interns from a previous year that had not participated in the curriculum.

conclusionsA pre-internship procedure workshop coupled with longitudinal workshops is a feasible way to improve intern exposure to pediatric procedural training. However, it was not sufficient to improve mean competency self-assessments compared to a traditional model of bedside procedural training.