Text4Peds: Feasibility of an Educational Text-Messaging Program for Pediatrics Residents

摘要

What was known Residency programs look for alternative methods to educate residents, taking advantage of new technology.;What is new A text-messaging program that assists residents with preparation for their pediatric board examinations.;Limitations Small prospective pilot, single site, and small sample limit generalizability.;Bottom line The text-messaging program was highly feasible and perceived as educationally valuable by residents.;Editor's Note: The online version of this article contains the surveys used in the program.;Introduction The duty hour restrictions implemented in 2011 by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) have raised concerns regarding the duration and quality of education for residents.1–3 As residency programs look for viable alternative methods to educate residents, a potential avenue of maximizing educational yield is to take advantage of residents' preferred methods of communication, particularly the mobile phone. Most residents use a smartphone,4 and educators have recognized that using smartphone applications as a teaching tool5 can increase efficiency in an environment limited by time constraints.6,7 The high prevalence of text messaging by residents has created an opportunity for a new approach to resident education.8 Some programs have reported on using text messages to successfully communicate with their residents, including a surgical residency program that implemented a system for residents to report their duty hours, and they found this approach effective, as residents were comfortable using text messages to communicate with program leadership.9 Another program evaluated whether text messages could be used for resident education, with the results suggesting that mobile texts may be more effective than printed materials.9 We hypothesized that a text message–based program would be a feasible and effective new tool for delivering high-yield educational information to residents. To test that hypothesis, the Pediatric Residency Program at Saint Louis University School of Medicine (SLUSOM) incorporated a text message–based program, Text4Peds. Our study aimed to assess the feasibility and perceived educational value of the new program.;Methods Program Description Our pilot, prospective study was performed beginning April 2013. The text-messaging program was created independently by the authors and was offered to all (N ?=? 55) pediatrics and combined internal medicine-pediatrics residents. Text messages were primarily derived from topics and themes found in the most missed questions in the pediatric in-training examination for SLUSOM pediatrics residents in 2012. Messages were developed, refined, and configured for the messaging system by the authors over a period of 10?weeks. Message creation was split among the authors, and final scripting and content was done collaboratively by all authors for consensus. To recruit participants, all residents received a link to the enrollment form via e-mail 3 times for 1?month before the start of the study. Residents needed to own a mobile phone with texting capability. Messages were sent to enrolled residents using TeleVox Housecalls text messaging services. Message delivery costs (including administrative support) were 15 cents per message. There were no costs incurred by residents beyond what they would normally pay for their personal text-messaging plans. The program was funded by the Department of Pediatrics at SLUSOM (total cost for 3?months, 35 residents ?=? $315). For 3?months, messages were sent Monday through Friday to enrolled residents at 2:00 pm, and included brief statements of 136 characters or less (eg, “Campylobacter jejuni infections are common antecedents for Guillian-Barre Syndrome”). Timing of messages was determined so as not to interrupt morning rounds and scheduled educational didactics. Study approval was obtained through the Saint Louis University Institutional Review Board.;Results Of 55 residents (42 pediat