Specific concussion curriculum: Does it improve residents’ comfort, knowledge, and In-Training Examination scores? A pilot study

Background Concussion is defined as aberrant brain function consequent to traumatic injury characterized by disorientation or loss of consciousness or memory. If concussions are not recognized and treated appropriately, they can cause significant morbidity. Because ∼20% of sports-related concussions occur in juveniles, pediatricians must be able to treat this injury. Our primary objective was to assess the comfort and competence of pediatric residents in managing patients with concussions. Secondary objective was to assess the change in the In-Training Examination (ITE) scores after instituting a novel multimodal concussion curriculum. Method From February to June 2019, all pediatric residents (N = 24) were required to complete a multimodal concussion curriculum, including board review-style questions, lectures, and rotation in a concussion clinic. Residents voluntarily participated in a pre-and post-curriculum survey. ITE scores from 2018 and 2019 were compared. Results Twenty-three of 24 (96%) residents completed both pre- and post-curriculum surveys; of those, 17 (74%) had matched identifiers. Most residents (82%) want more education about concussion management. Residents’ scores on knowledge-based questions increased an average of 0.64 questions, with PGY-1 showing the most improvement. The proportion of residents who correctly answered the ITE head injury/concussion questions increased from 0.33 to 0.88. The concussion clinic was identified as the most helpful tool. Conclusion To better educate pediatric residents about concussions, we propose a unique multimodal curriculum. We found improved self-assessed comfort and performance on knowledge-based questions and the ITE. We recommend that pediatric and other residency training programs consider implementing this type of curriculum.