Peer-reviewed article
Andragogic Model Curriculum for One-Year ACGME-Accredited Fellowship Programs: Single-Center Educational Improvement Project.
Romy Yun, Allyson Farran, Echo Rowe, Dina Sheira, Christian Jackson et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This paper describes a curriculum redesign for a one-year medical fellowship program in pediatric anesthesiology at a US children's hospital. The study evaluated whether an andragogic (adult-learning-based) curriculum improved fellows' perceptions of their educational experience. Results showed that fellows reported better educational experiences and diversity training after the new curriculum was introduced, though resource availability did not change.
Key points
- An andragogic curriculum with 12 teaching modalities was introduced in 2021-2022
- Educational content scores improved significantly (mean difference 0.89, P<.001)
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion training scores improved (mean difference 0.52, P=.03)
- Resource availability scores showed no change (mean difference -0.13, P=.98)
- Survey completion rate was high (58 of 60 fellows over 10 years)
Limitations
This is an educational improvement project for medical trainees, not an evaluation of interventions affecting child health or well-being. The study measures fellowship program satisfaction and curriculum quality, which is outside the scope of child well-being research.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The number of 1-year Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) fellowships continues to grow. The ACGME recommends a holistic curriculum with nonclinical areas, inclusive of educational sessions. Given the competing demands between clinical skill development, educational pursuits, and work-hour restrictions, we propose an andragogic curriculum using pediatric anesthesiology as the model fellowship. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to improve fellows' perceptions of their educational experience during their fellowship year after implementing an andragogic holistic curriculum. Secondary objectives assessed improvements in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training and resources. METHODS: This was a single-center educational improvement project completed at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford. Data were collected between 2014 and 2024. The new curriculum was introduced in 2021-2022 and involved 12 different teaching modalities rooted in andragogic principles. A statistical process control p-chart was used to analyze the primary outcome based on the ACGME annual program evaluation. Outcomes were analyzed using censored regression modeling or a t test, depending on the presence of ceiling effects. RESULTS: From 2014 to 2024, 58 of 60 pediatric anesthesiology fellows completed the ACGME survey. A break in the statistical process control p-chart for educational content scores occurred during 2021-2022, when the new curriculum was introduced. The mean difference was 0.89 (P<.001). Scores in DEI improved (mean difference 0.52; P=.03), and no difference was noted in resources (mean difference -0.13; P=.98). CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of an andragogic curriculum into a pediatric anesthesiology fellowship program was associated with more favorable perceptions of educational content and DEI training.