Currently submitted to: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: May 29, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Jun 1, 2026 - Jul 27, 2026
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Bridging the Gap in Breastfeeding Medicine: A Scoping Review of Educational Interventions for Resident Physicians
ABSTRACT
Background:
Breastfeeding is universally recognized as the gold standard for infant nutrition, offering extensive health benefits for both infants and mothers. Despite rising breastfeeding rates nationwide and clear public health mandates, resident physicians across relevant specialties routinely report inadequate training in breastfeeding medicine. No standardized curriculum exists, and the landscape of existing educational interventions remains fragmented and poorly synthesized.
Objective:
This scoping review aims to comprehensively map and synthesize educational interventions designed to improve breastfeeding knowledge, skills, confidence, and clinical practice among resident physicians, while identifying gaps and informing future curriculum development.
Methods:
Following the Arksey and O’Malley framework and PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines, a systematic search will be conducted across four databases- PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Embase. The Population-Concept-Context (PCC) framework will guide eligibility criteria. Peer-reviewed, original research studies (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods) involving resident physicians across obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and family medicine will be included. Two independent reviewers will screen titles, abstracts, and full texts, with disagreements resolved by consensus or a third reviewer. Data will be extracted and summarized descriptively.
Results:
The protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF) on August 21, 2025. Database searches were completed in November 2025. Title and abstract screening, full-text review, data extraction, and synthesis are planned between January and June 2026, with manuscript submission targeted for July 2026. Results will detail intervention types, delivery formats, instructional content, and reported outcomes across included studies.
Conclusions:
This scoping review will generate a foundational evidence map of breastfeeding education for resident physicians. Findings are expected to reveal diverse instructional approaches alongside persistent training gaps, and will provide actionable recommendations for program directors and curriculum developers seeking to strengthen graduate medical education in breastfeeding medicine. Clinical Trial: Trial Registration: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/PXWHC
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