Impact of medical residency on knowledge of asthma

Objectives. To assess resident physician knowledge of pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of asthma and to assess the impact of an interactive curriculum on that knowledge. Participants. A total of 720 resident and attending physicians at 15 internal medicine residency programs. Methods. An educational module and two multiple choice tests were developed using established methods of curriculum development and knowledge assessment, then disseminated online to 15 internal medicine residency programs. Baseline and post-intervention knowledge was analyzed according to year of training using Chi square to detect differences in group performance. Results. Baseline knowledge on asthma was poor. The average baseline score on all questions was 54.2%, and was worst on questions on diagnosis of asthma (47.5% correct) and questions on management of asthma (54.8% correct). Baseline knowledge was best on questions on the pathophysiology of asthma (71.5% correct). On specific concepts, only 41.9% correctly knew which pharmacotherapeutic agents were used as controller agents, and only 43.5% were able to correctly diagnose asthma severity. Knowledge on questions on diagnosis of asthma was no better in post-graduate year (PGY) 3 residents than in PGY1 residents (p = 0.054), but PGY3 residents performed better on questions about management of asthma than did PGY1 residents (p < 0.001). Knowledge improved for all concepts and at all levels of training after completion of an interactive module on asthma guidelines (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Resident physician knowledge of asthma guidelines is poor and can be improved by an interactive curriculum.