Preparing for CBME: How often are faculty observing residents?

BACKGROUND: The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada officially launched 'Competence by Design' in July 2017, moving from time-based to outcomes-based training. Transitioning to competency-based medical education (CBME) necessitates change in resident assessment. A greater frequency of resident observation will likely be required to adequately assess whether entrustable professional activities have been achieved. PURPOSE: Characterize faculty and resident experiences of direct observation in a single paediatric residency program, pre-CBME implementation. Qualitatively describe participants' perceived barriers and incentives to participating in direct observation. METHODS: Surveys were sent to paediatric residents and faculty asking for demographics, the frequency of resident observation during an average 4-week rotation, perceived ideal frequency of observation, and factors influencing observation frequency. Descriptive data were analyzed. Institutional research ethics board approval was received. RESULTS: The response rate was 54% (34/68 faculty and 16/25 residents). When asked the MAXIMUM frequency FACULTY observed a resident take a history, perform a physical examination, or deliver a plan, the median faculty reply was 1, 2, and 3, for outpatient settings and 0, 1, and 2, for inpatient settings. The median RESIDENT reply was 2, 4, and 10 for outpatient settings and 1, 2, and 20 for inpatient settings. When asked the MINIMUM frequency for each domain, the median FACULTY and RESIDENT reply was 0, except for delivering a plan in the inpatient setting. Faculty reported observing seniors delivering the plan more frequently than junior residents. Faculty and resident median replies for how frequently residents should be observed for each domain were the same, three to four, three to four, and five to six times. Four per cent of faculty reported regularly scheduling observations, and 77% of residents regularly ask to be observed. The most common barriers to observation were too many patients to see and both faculty and residents were seeing patients at the same time. Most faculty and resident responders felt that observation frequency could be improved if scheduled at the start of the rotation; faculty were provided a better tool for assessment; and if residents asked to be observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides baseline data on how infrequent faculty observation is occurring and at a frequency lower than what faculty and residents feel is necessary. The time needed for observation competes with clinical service demands, but better scheduling strategies and assessment tools may help.

Unusual melanoma of the scalp with blue nevus-like features and local metastasis: A case report.

We present an unusual case of melanoma in a 76-year-old female covering approximately 80% of her scalp. Partial sampling of the lesion revealed focal blue nevus-like features at the microscopic level. We discuss issues related to blue nevus-like melanomas and highlight the unique clinical presentation of the current case.

Modeling cystic fibrosis disease progression in patients with the rare CFTR mutation P67L.

BACKGROUND: The progression of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients with the rare mutation P67L was examined to determine if it induced a milder form of CF compared to the common severe ΔF508 mutation. METHODS: Parameters of lung function, level of bacterial infection, nutritional status and hospitalization were used to represent CF progression. Age at diagnosis and pancreatic status were used to assess CF presentation. Analysis of data from the CF Canada Registry collected over a 15-year period included 266 ΔF508/ΔF508 homozygote patients from CF clinics in Atlantic Canada and 26 compound heterozygote patients with the rare P67L mutation from clinics across Canada. RESULTS: Late age at diagnosis, high incidence of pancreatic sufficiency, maintained Body Mass Index (BMI) with age, delayed life-threatening bacterial infection, and fewer days in hospital were observed for P67L heterozygote patients included in this study. Although the decline of lung function did not differ from ΔF508 homozygotes, the fact that a greater proportion of P67L heterozygotes live to an older age suggests that lung function is not the primary factor determining CF progression for P67L heterozygote patients. CONCLUSION: The P67L mutation is associated with a mild disease, even when combined with the severe ΔF508 mutation.