Evaluation is an integral part of the Pediatric Training Program. The evaluative process is divided into three categories: evaluation of the learner (house staff member), evaluation of the facilitator/teacher (faculty member), and evaluation of the training program. Thus, everyone is a participant in the process, and the ultimate aim of all evaluative efforts is an improved training program.

The best and most effective way to evaluate the effectiveness of our training program (both content and process) is to examine the learner in order to assess whether he or she has successfully accomplished the established goals and objectives. In this manner, our program can be compared with others and improvements effected. This is an on going process, and each faculty member is charged with the responsibility of evaluating the progress of each and every resident throughout the year. The evaluations provide ratings of resident progress in all six areas of competency, with an emphasis on professionalism. These evaluations are on file with the Residency Coordinator and with each resident’s faculty advisor. A summary evaluation will be discussed with each resident by the Program Director every six months [thrice yearly for PGY-1s]. Residents are also evaluated at the end of certain rotations by both their peers and by other members of the health care team. 

Evaluation is only as effective as the feedback given by the facilitator to the learner. Although informal feedback occurs regularly throughout most rotations as well as through ongoing interactions between residents and faculty, residents are strongly encouraged to frequently seek out the supervising faculty to discuss their performance and progress. At the start of their residency, each housestaff member is also assigned to a faculty advisor who is similarly encouraged to discuss formal faculty evaluations, elective choices, career options and any other pertinent topics, with their resident advisee at a minimum of every six months.

In the PGY-1 and PGY-2 years, residents are evaluated in the performance of an outpatient history and physical examination and videotape for subsequent self-assessment as well as faculty review and formative feedback. Residents are required to develop and maintain portfolios on certain rotations (ISCU, Blue Team, Outpatient Block). The portfolio is a form of resident self-assessment and an RRC requirement for assessing the various competencies. Residents are required to record goals for the rotation, including reading goals, and to maintain a record of all self-initiated reading and reflection, practice-based learning and improvement and systems-based patient care practices and processes. The portfolios are evaluated by the faculty on an ongoing basis.

Objective evaluation includes the annual in service examination prepared by the American Board of Pediatrics. This written examination allows the residents to evaluate themselves against national standards and initiate a process of self-improvement. 

As part of the requirements of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), a yearly evaluation of each resident’s clinical and academic performance and professionalism is submitted to the ABP by the Program Director with either a satisfactory, a marginal, or an unsatisfactory rating. If the rating is marginal, the resident may still be promoted to the subsequent training year, but will be placed on a specified period of academic probation under an individualized, focused training program established by the Program Director, the resident’s faculty advisor and input from the marginal resident. If the marginal resident successfully completes the subsequent next year, credit may then be given for both training years. Alternatively, if a resident’s performance or professionalism is rated unsatisfactory for ANY time period, the resident will receive no credit for the applicable training period and will be required to remediate (i.e. repeat) the time period at issue. (Please refer to the Residency Program’s Due Policy and the resident’s right to appeal sections in this manual.) 

House staff are expected to evaluate the faculty at the end of each rotation and thereby, assist in ongoing program assessment and improvement. Following each rotation, residents are requested to complete an evaluation form on the educational effectiveness of both the applicable service’s teaching faculty and for the block rotation. These anonymous ratings evaluate the resident’s learning experience during the rotation, as well as the quality of feedback provided during each rotation. These evaluations are designed to determine weaknesses and strengths in the program and to target specific areas for change. The resident is requested to provide feedback to the program director at any time regarding the educational aspects of the residency program particularly at the time of conferences with the program director.
 
To ensure confidentiality, evaluations will be collected electronically and anonymously summarized by UTMB’s Office of Graduate Medical Education before returned to the Pediatrics’ Program Director. Results of these evaluations are tabulated by the Residency Program Director and reported to the Department Chairman annually or more frequently as indicated.

Residents are expected to serve as teachers and mentors for medical students assigned to pediatrics during both formal and informal sessions. Medical students should be assisted in learning the skills of obtaining an adequate and concise history and physical examination, progress note writing, presentation on rounds, differential diagnosis, pathophysiology, psychosocial and developmental pediatrics, and medical management. 

The Inpatient faculty will conduct simulated code scenarios on a regular basis. These Mock Codes will serve both formative as well as evaluative functions. All residents are strongly urged to attend Mock Codes. Attendance however, is mandatory for those residents assigned to the inpatient service and the PICU. All residents are required to be BLS, PALS and NALS certified during their training. In addition, PL-3 residents are required to be certified as Pediatric Advanced Life Support Instructors prior to the start of the third year of training. (Please refer also to the Critical Skills Curriculum section in this manual.)