Abstract

“Hassan A, Harris SK, Sherritt L, VanHook S, Bridgemohan C, Knight J, Emans SJ. Use of an Online Pediatric Curriculum. Presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 2012. Poster Presentation. “

Abstract

Objective: In response to new training requirements and curricular needs of pediatric residency programs, the Pedicases website (www.pedicases.org) was launched in 2000 to provide free educational materials. Over 30 case-based modules incorporating Bright Futures health supervision guidelines were published covering child growth, development, behavior, and adolescent medicine. As part of a larger QI study to inform the revision of this tool, we assessed Pedicases usage patterns and evaluated the experience of previous users.

Methods: Two data sources were utilized: the website data registry which recorded utilization and descriptive data as users accessed and downloaded cases, and an emailed survey sent to a selection of previous users in March 2011. We characterized users by discipline, years of training, and geographic location, and Pedicases utilization by numbers and types of topics downloaded. The survey asked users about their website experience and suggestions for improvement, including their thoughts regarding overall efficacy of the tool, website interface, and the quality, accessibility, and relevance of the materials. We compared usage patterns across types of users using Chi square and Kruskal-Wallis tests.

Results: Between March 2000 and November 2010, 6078 unique users downloaded Pedicases materials. 30% of the users identified themselves as staff physicians and 28% as medical trainees. The remainder reflected multiple disciplines including nurses, nurse practitioners, mental health professionals, and other health educators. Most users had completed professional training recently (45% within five years). Although three quarters of users hailed from the US with the largest numbers from the Mid-West and Mid-Atlantic regions, over 130 countries were represented across users. A total of 28,075 cases were downloaded with a mean of 4.6 (SD 8.2) per user. Among the adolescent-specific cases, the mental health module (anorexia nervosa, substance use, and depression) was the most frequently accessed, comprising 10.3% of the total downloads. Cases involving routine screening and health promotion during adolescence were also frequently accessed (8.8%). Users who had been out of training longer (p<.001) and international users (p=.019) tended to download more cases. 269 users completed the survey. Overall, most users had a positive experience with 86% responding that they would “probably” or “definitely” recommend the website to other colleagues involved in medical education, and just under 90% planned continued use of materials. Although the materials were originally targeted for teaching residents, more than half of users (54%) have used materials for self-education purposes with 71% interested in having associated CME credit. Constructive feedback indicated that cases should be further revised to accommodate limited trainee teaching time, and tools such as standardized video clips, Powerpoint presentations, and self-assessment questions and answers should be added. Conclusions: The Pedicases online pediatric curriculum was well received by users from a wide variety of backgrounds. Data suggest that adolescent mental health is a particular area of interest. Providing a web-based accessible, comprehensive, and well-structured learning experience has the potential to enhance pediatric education worldwide. Future revisions should focus on updated content to meet current health guidelines and incorporate new technology.