J Med Educ Curric Dev. 2025 Nov 18;12:23821205251391961. doi: 10.1177/23821205251391961. eCollection 2025 Jan-Dec.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Scholarly activity is a key requirement in pediatric subspecialty fellowship training. However, clear guidance on how to effectively support fellows in their scholarly endeavors remains limited.
OBJECTIVE: This study assesses the impact of a week-long departmental scholarship curriculum designed to enhance fellows’ research competencies.
METHODS: In 2024, a curriculum was designed and delivered to first-year pediatric subspecialty fellows over 5 days, combining group learning sessions with individualized tasks. Pre- and post-curriculum surveys assessed fellows’ confidence and knowledge across key scholarly domains. Daily session evaluations provided additional feedback. Fourteen fellows from 9 pediatric subspecialty programs participated.
RESULTS: All first-year fellows (n = 14, 100%) participated. Improvements in fellows’ confidence were observed across all domains (P < .05). While knowledge scores increased, the gains were not statistically significant. Participants rated the overall curriculum positively, and notably, appreciated the individualized tasks and experience of presenting their developing project.
CONCLUSIONS: This week-long curriculum increased fellows’ confidence in their scholarly abilities, highlighting the value of a structured, departmental approach to fostering academic engagement. While knowledge improvements were modest, the overwhelmingly positive evaluations support this curriculum approach as a potential model for enhancing scholarly activity in fellowship programs. Further research is needed to explore the long-term impacts on fellows’ scholarly productivity and career development.
PMID:41268531 | PMC:PMC12627373 | DOI:10.1177/23821205251391961
