Two perspectives on the educational and administrative roles of the pediatric chief resident.

PURPOSE: To investigate pediatric chief residents' responsibilities and determine how chief residents and program directors view the scope of the chief resident's role. SURVEY: We distributed a 20-item survey to program directors and chief residents at all US pediatric residency programs. Questions pertained to activities performed and the level of importance of administrative, clinical, and educational activities. The survey also investigated motivating factors to become chief resident, future career plans, and level of job satisfaction. RESULTS: We received responses from 127 program directors and 101 chief residents. Of the chief residents, 98% (99/101) felt administrative tasks were very/somewhat important, followed by education, service, and research. Significantly more program directors than chief residents felt chiefs' overall workload was well balanced. Program directors gave higher ratings than chief residents on chief's ability to develop clinical skills (79% [95/121] versus 61% [61/100]) and manage stress and burnout (86% [104/121] versus 72% [72/100]). Future career plans for chief residents in decreasing order included fellowship, outpatient practice, academic practice, and working as a hospitalist. The most significant problems reported by the chief residents were lack of administrative support and lack of time spent in educational/clinical activities. CONCLUSIONS: The chief resident role is primarily administrative, but program directors and chiefs feel teaching and clinical responsibilities also are important. Although the 2 groups agreed in many areas, program directors underestimated the administrative demands placed on the chief residents, and our findings suggest the chief resident role may be more fulfilling if the balance was shifted somewhat toward teaching and clinical responsibilities.

Comparing patients seen in pediatric resident continuity clinics and national ambulatory medical care survey practices: a study from the continuity research network.

OBJECTIVES: The goal was to compare visit data from Continuity Research Network practices with data for a nationally representative sample of pediatric visits in practice settings from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. METHODS: A cross-sectional study comparing data for Continuity Research Network practice visits during a 1-week period in 2002 with data from the 2000 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey was performed. Continuity Research Network and National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data were derived from 30 patient visits per practice site for patients < 22 years of age, with the primary care providers being residents and practicing pediatricians, respectively. RESULTS: Eighteen Continuity Research Network practices reported on 540 visits, compared with 32 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey physicians reporting on 792 visits. Continuity Research Network patients were more likely to be black non-Hispanic or Hispanic/Latino and to have public insurance. The top 5 reasons for visits were the same for Continuity Research Network and National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey visits, although the orders varied slightly. These 5 reasons accounted for 58% of Continuity Research Network visits and 49% of National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey visits. Continuity Research Network visits were more likely to result in patient instructions to return at a specific time (78% vs 52%). CONCLUSIONS: Residents in Continuity Research Network practices provide care to more underserved patients but evaluate problems that are similar to those observed in office practices; the Continuity Research Network practices thus provide important training experiences for residents who will serve both minority and nonminority children.