How a Pediatrics Residency Program is Leveraging TrueLearn to Enhance Resident Education

In the fast-paced world of graduate medical education, residency program leaders are constantly seeking innovative tools to support their trainees’ learning. A mid-size pediatrics residency program in the Northeast shares how they have found TrueLearn—a learning and assessment solution—to be a valuable resource for their program to improve board outcomes.

About the Program

Our pediatrics residency is an academic program within a university-based medical center. This provides a unique opportunity for us to integrate patient care and educational experiences with ongoing basic and clinical scientific research. Our residents go on to careers in primary care and a variety of subspecialties in pediatrics. Our teaching faculty is committed to resident education and supports each resident’s unique training goals.

Why the Program Partnered with TrueLearn

Like many programs across the country, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, board pass rates were impacted, and our program saw a decline in our trainees passing on their first attempt. The recovery was not as quick as we had hoped, so we looked for innovative ways to help our trainees successfully prepare and pass the board. The program recognized the need to find new ways to engage learners in proactive, longitudinal learning and to improve board exam outcomes.

In 2021, the program implemented TrueLearn to address these challenges. While the initial adoption was gradual and improvements in board pass rates took time, the program has seen significant positive changes over the past couple of years. This success has also increased resident engagement with TrueLearn as they see that our efforts to help them learn and prepare for the boards are paying off.

How the Program Utilizes TrueLearn

Our residency program has integrated TrueLearn into the curriculum in several ways:

• Weekly Quizzes: Residents are assigned five questions per week, with regular reminders to encourage completion. To further support participation, the program schedules a 5-minute block during weekly didactics sessions specifically for completing the quizzes
• Group Review of Missed Questions: To maximize learning and close knowledge gaps, we compile the most frequently missed questions from each week into a presentation for their monthly board review session. We also share data comparing our residents’ performance to the national average, providing valuable context and insight.
• Mock Assessment: The program uses the TrueLearn mock assessment as a mid-year In-Training Exam (ITE) for all trainees. Program directors and mentors review the results with each resident to provide personalized feedback and recommendations on future study plans.
• Curriculum Development: The program uses the data from TrueLearn, in conjunction with American Board of Pediatrics In-Training Exam performance data, to revise and update our longitudinal didactic curriculum.

How TrueLearn Supports the Program

TrueLearn has equipped our program with a more in-depth understanding of areas where residents need additional support. Below are some of the key features and how they have helped our program.

• Routine Email Updates: Each week, program leaders receive email updates showing cumulative performance, as well as resident engagement on quizzes for the past week and any low performers that we need to check on.
• Real-Time Performance Dashboard: Faculty mentors utilize the TrueLearn Performance Dashboard when meeting with their mentees to review their content weaknesses and strengths to strategize on board study plans.
• In-depth Reporting: The reporting abilities in TrueLearn help program leaders identify residents at risk of failing so that we can provide additional support. We set specific goals with them on how many additional questions they should be completing each month in TrueLearn.
• Ease of Practice Testing: Residents value the ability to easily create personal tests to focus on specific subject areas or topics. They also incorporate TrueLearn questions into case conferences and other educational activities as a group.

By strategically integrating TrueLearn into the curriculum and leveraging its key features, our program has increased resident engagement, learning, board readiness, and outcomes.

To explore a partnership with TrueLearn, visit www.truelearn.com/residency-partnership.