JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

While Precision Medical Education (PME) provides a framework for physician education through data collection on learners and identifying knowledge gaps, logistical difficulties in the delivery of personalized educational interventions hinder its implementation in existing curricula.

Objective:

We developed the Personalized Automated Reading Delivery System (PARDS) software application to support a potential PME intervention, aiming to increase resident physician reading volume.

Methods:

From July 2018-December 2018, a pilot prospective crossover study was performed with N=10 PGY2 anesthesiology residents within an academic medical center (response rate 10/10, 100%). Residents were randomly assigned to the PARDS program for 2 of the 4 months of the study period. The primary outcomes were organizational viability, evaluated by total expenses and faculty-hours, and acceptability within the study population, assessed by number of reported weekly reading hours. Simple logistic regression analysis was performed to compare intervention vs non-intervention conditions.

Results:

Total reported faculty time involvement for the study period was 24 hours. The cost-estimate for implementation ranged from $2360-$8360. The mean difference of recorded reading hours by residents while participating in PARDS verses not participating in PARDS for months 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the study was 2.56 (95% CI -0.03-5.15, P=.053), 0.44 (95% CI -2.15-3.03, P= .737), 0.99 (95% CI -1.38-3.36, P=.413), and 3.7 (95% CI 1.34-6.08, P=.002), respectively.

Conclusions:

The PARDS was successfully implemented in an academic medical center. Calculated costs indicate that PARDS is an inexpensive intervention compared to contemporary alternatives. Effect on resident reading requires further research.