Subject(s)
Awards and Prizes , Science/statistics & numerical data , Bias , Female , Humans , Male , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) supports 8,700 resident positions nationally to enhance quality of care for veterans and to educate physicians. This study sought to establish a yearly quality indicator to identify and follow strengths and opportunities for improvement in VA clinical training programs. METHOD: In March 2001, the VA Learners' Perceptions Survey, a validated 57-item questionnaire, was mailed to 3,338 residents registered at 130 VA facilities. They were asked to rate their overall satisfaction with the VA clinical training experience and their satisfaction in four domains: faculty/preceptor, learning, working, and physical environments using a five-point Likert scale. Questionnaires were received from 1,775 residents (53.2%). A full analysis was conducted using 1,436 of these questionnaires, whose respondents were categorized in four training programs: medicine (n = 706), surgery (n = 291), subspecialty (n = 266), and psychiatry (n = 173). RESULTS: On a scale of 0 to 100, residents gave their clinical training experience an average score of 79. Eighty-four percent would have recommended VA training to peers, and 81% would have chosen VA training again. Overall, 87% were satisfied with their faculty/preceptors, 78% with the learning environment, and 67% with the working and physical environments. The survey was sensitive to differences in satisfaction among the trainee groups, with residents in internal medicine (IM) the least satisfied. CONCLUSION: The VA Learners' Perceptions Survey is the first validated survey to address comprehensive satisfaction issues in clinical training. The survey highlights strengths and opportunities for improvement in VA clinical training and is the first step toward improving education.
Subject(s)
Education, Medical, Graduate/standards , Education, Medical , Hospitals, Veterans/statistics & numerical data , Internship and Residency/statistics & numerical data , Quality Control , Specialization , Data Collection , Female , Hospitals, Veterans/organization & administration , Humans , Internship and Residency/organization & administration , Male , Personal Satisfaction , United States , United States Department of Veterans AffairsABSTRACT
Cicatricial pemphigoid is a chronic, presumed autoimmune, blistering disease of the mucous membranes and occasionally of the skin. The characteristic feature is scarring at the sites of healing. We report the use of thalidomide as a therapeutic agent to control previously resistant disease.
Subject(s)
Dermatologic Agents/therapeutic use , Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use , Laryngeal Diseases/drug therapy , Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane/drug therapy , Pharyngeal Diseases/drug therapy , Thalidomide/therapeutic use , Aged , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Dapsone/therapeutic use , Dermatologic Agents/administration & dosage , Humans , Immunosuppressive Agents/administration & dosage , Male , Thalidomide/administration & dosageABSTRACT
The National Quality Scholars Fellowship Program has been highly successful in recruiting excellent fellows for training in process improvement and quality principles. Opportunities for improvement include improved communication with facility personnel and closer alignment with local improvement needs. Retention/recruitment of these skilled physicians and creation of a network of trained Veterans Affairs (VA) physicians are newly articulated goals.