Enhancing educational experiences through standardization of inpatient hematology curriculums.

Abstract

9024 Background: Comprehensive hematology education during fellowship is essential for delivering high-quality healthcare. Variability in individual learning experiences can lead to trainee dissatisfaction and suboptimal clinical acumen. Fellowship programs must strive for a well-rounded and equitable educational experience for all fellows to prepare them for real-world practice in the increasingly dynamic field of hematology. Methods: Hematology fellows (n=30) at Mayo Clinic (Rochester) were invited to complete a survey about the inpatient Fellow Hematology Curriculum (FHC) during 2021-2022. Responses were recorded in a five-point Likert scale and free-text. Using the initial results, we implemented a structured inpatient hematology curriculum starting in 2022 and conducted a post-implementation survey in Spring 2024 to assess its success and sustainability. Results: The initial survey was completed by twenty fellows, with a response rate of 66%. All respondents agreed that the FHC could be improved. Only 45% agreed that structured education is adequately paired with clinical duties. In the open-ended responses, a structured curriculum covering a set list of topics was the most common recommendation given to improve the FHC. This prompted a longitudinal QI initiative to implement standardized rotation-specific lectures created by fellows and distributed to faculty and fellows prior to the associated 4-week rotations. Twelve fellows (40%) completed the post-implementation survey. Summary of key responses are shown in table 1. Although there remained high variability among consultants regarding their engagement in education, significant improvements were noted. Agreement that the curriculum has well-defined objectives for each rotation increased from 25% to 58%. Additionally, 83% of fellows agreed that structured education was effectively paired with clinical duties, up from 45%. Open-ended responses highlighted variability in consultants' utilization of the curriculum but reflected overall satisfaction. Conclusions: The need for a well-structured FHC was identified as a gap in equitable hematology education. This was addressed through a fellow led longitudinal QI project generating easily accessible educational material relevant to weekly themes on inpatient hematology services. The introduction of a structured and clinically relevant curriculum was well-received. Summary of survey responses. Pre-implementation Post-implementation Statement Agreed or strongly agreed (%) Agreed of strongly agreed (%) I know what topics and to what extent I’m expected to learn 25 67 The FHC has well-defined objectives for each rotation 25 55 There is high variability among consultants with engagement in education 95 75 Structured education is paired with clinical duties 45 83 I can easily locate lectures given by hematology consultants 5 42