A97 INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENT AND STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF GASTROENTEROLOGY ROTATION

TL;DR

This study explores how internal medicine residents and new staff perceive gastroenterology rotations and identifies gaps in knowledge and awareness that may affect their comfort in managing GI conditions.

Contribution

The study identifies specific misperceptions and knowledge gaps among residents and new staff regarding gastroenterology, leading to actionable improvements.

Findings

Residents and staff often avoid GI electives due to negative word-of-mouth and overnight consults.

Most participants reported limited GI teaching and were unaware of formal lectures during GI rotations.

Residents and staff were most comfortable managing pancreatitis but wanted more experience with liver masses and IBD flares.

Abstract

The choice of subspecialty by internal medicine residents is partially influenced by their experience with that service. Challenges exist between internal medicine and the high acuity, procedurally-heavy, gastroenterology (GI) service. Negative perceptions may limit the number of residents rotating through a gastroenterology elective, impacting knowledge and comfort managing common GI conditions.

To identify misperceptions of the GI service at a tertiary hospital, and evaluate resident and new staff comfort in managing common GI conditions.

Twenty-question survey sent to internal medicine residents during 2022-2023 and 13-question survey sent to staff that completed training from 2020-2022; both anonymous, and using Qualtrics software.

The survey was completed by 18% (30/166) of residents and 20% (13/65) of staff. Most staff (62%) practiced in a community setting. Both cohorts cited overnight cross-coverage consults during (56%) and negative word-of mouth (38%), as reasons they avoided a GI elective. Most participants reported a little (33%) or moderate (47%) amount of GI teaching on medicine service and were unaware of formal lectures (79%) during a GI rotation. Residents and staff were most comfortable managing pancreatitis (98%) and ALF (74%). Staff wished for more experience managing pancreatic and liver masses and outpatient IBD flares; however both groups (86%) were unaware of the ambulatory week during the GI rotation.

Misperception and unawareness of a GI elective persist amongst internal medicine residents and has implications for new staff managing GI conditions. This study has led to action items that address these concerns.

Table 1: Resident & staff awareness, perceptions & knowledge of GI

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