Perceptions of internal medicine residents and medical students regarding an inpatient ID rotation

Background:,

Infectious disease (ID) is an elective rotation at Banner University Medical Center –Phoenix (BUMC-P). Feedback regarding rotation has been positive. In the last years there has been a decline in the number of residents rotating in the ID Division at BUMC-P. Reasons for the declining number of residents are unclear.

Methods:,

We conducted an anonymous survey of all internal medicine residents and medical students attending half academic day (mandatory activity) over the course of 2 consecutive sessions in order to include the majority of medical residents. 

Survey items included:

(1) Plans to rotate with the ID service (2) percentages of questions related to ID that were asked in the internal medicine board exam and how important an ID rotation is to learn different aspects general practice related topics (3) Barriers to rotating with ID (4) If an ID fellowship at BUMCP would increase motivation to rotate with ID

Results:,

65 anonymous surveys were collected: 6 were from medical students and 59 from internal medicine residents

17 (26%) participants did not rotate with ID and did not plan to do so.

62 (95 %) participants thought that an ID rotation was at least moderately important to attain a strong knowledge in ID and the appropriate use of antimicrobials, to learn best practices in ordering antimicrobial tests, to gain knowledge of HIV and to differentiate colonizers vs pathogens.

22(95%) of participants that completed an ID rotation were at least moderately satisfied with ID rotation.

Among participants not motivated to do an ID rotation, the most common barriers were excessive clinical workload and lack of interest in ID topics

 

Conclusion:,

 

Although Internal medicine residents and medical students at BUMC-P recognize that infectious disease is an important topic for the internal medicine board exam, and that an infectious disease rotation is at least moderately important to attain medical knowledge on important topics in general practice, only some of them are motivated to rotate. The most common barriers identified were excessive clinical workload and lack of interest in infectious disease topics. These findings may help identify potential interventions to address declining numbers of residents rotating with ID.