Training the Next Generation of Obstetrics and Gynecology Leaders, A Multi-Institutional Needs Assessment.

Overview

abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess resident and faculty interest in, as well as content and preferred format for, a leadership curriculum during obstetrics and gynecology residency DESIGN: From June to July 2019, a needs assessment survey on leadership training was distributed to residents and academic faculty at 3 United States obstetrics and gynecology residency programs. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. Open ended questions were analyzed for themes. SETTING: Three ob/gyn residency programs across the United States: Kaiser Permanente East Bay in Oakland, California, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, New York. PARTICIPANTS: Surveys were distributed to all residents (n = 111) and affiliated academic faculty (n = 124) at each of the 3 participating sites. RESULTS: Resident response rate was 71% (79/111) and faculty rate was 63% (78/124). Postgraduate year (PGY) 1 residents were more likely to believe there was sufficient leadership training during residency (17/23, 74%) compared to PGY 2-4s (16/56, 29%) and faculty (20/76, 26%; p < 0.01). Most residents (66/79, 84%) and faculty (74/78, 82%) expressed that residents would benefit from a leadership curriculum. Both deemed small group exercises and leadership case studies taught by physicians were the preferred format for this curriculum. Residents and faculty agreed on 3 of the top 4 topics for a leadership curriculum - effective communication, team management, and time management - while residents chose self-awareness and faculty chose professionalism as the fourth of their top domains. Open-ended survey questions revealed that leadership demands in obstetrics and gynecology are similar to other specialties but differ in emphasis on crisis management, situational awareness, and advocacy training. CONCLUSIONS: Given unique aspects of leadership within the specialty, obstetrics and gynecology residents and faculty see benefit for specialty-specific formalized leadership training.