Journal Article

E-learning in graduate medical education: survey of residency program directors

Cook, David A., Agrawal, Anoop, Wittich, Christopher M., Dupras, Denise M., Chaudhry, Saima, Mandrekar, Jayawant N., Halvorsen, Andrew J., Oxentenko, Amy S., Beckman, Thomas J.

2017

Overview

Background E-learning—the use of Internet technologies to enhance knowledge and performance—has become a widely accepted instructional approach. Little is known about the current use of e-learning in postgraduate medical education. To determine utilization of e-learning by United States internal medicine residency programs, program director (PD) perceptions of e-learning, and associations between e-learning use and residency program characteristics. Methods We conducted a national survey in collaboration with the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine of all United States internal medicine residency programs. Results Of the 368 PDs, 214 (58.2%) completed the e-learning survey. Use of synchronous e-learning at least sometimes, somewhat often, or very often was reported by 85 (39.7%); 153 programs (71.5%) use asynchronous e-learning at least sometimes, somewhat often, or very often. Most programs (168; 79%) do not have a budget to integrate e-learning. Mean (SD) scores for the PD perceptions of e-learning ranged from 3.01 (0.94) to 3.86 (0.72) on a 5-point scale. The odds of synchronous e-learning use were higher in programs with a budget for its implementation (odds ratio, 3.0 [95% CI, 1.04–8.7]; P  = .04). Conclusions Residency programs could be better resourced to integrate e-learning technologies. Asynchronous e-learning was used more than synchronous, which may be to accommodate busy resident schedules and duty-hour restrictions. PD perceptions of e-learning are relatively moderate and future research should determine whether PD reluctance to adopt e-learning is based on unawareness of the evidence, perceptions that e-learning is expensive, or judgments about value versus effectiveness.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Approaches to teaching and learning / Attitude of Health Personnel / Computer-Assisted Instruction / Curriculum / Data Analysis / Distance learning / Education / Education, Medical, Graduate - standards / Education, Medical, Graduate - trends / Educational Measurement / Electronic learning / Emergency medical care / Faculty Development / Female / Graduate Medical Education / Graduate studies / Humans / Internal Medicine / Internship and Residency - organization & administration / Internship and Residency - standards / Internship and Residency - trends / Learning Activities / Male / Medical Education / Medical residencies / Middle Aged / Online education / Online instruction / Outcomes of Education / Perceptions / Physicians / Polls & surveys / Problem-Based Learning / Program directors / Program Evaluation / Research Article / Residency training / Teaching Methods / Theory of Medicine/Bioethics / United States / Workload