Rationale: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-paced EEG course in improving the knowledge and confidence levels of junior neurology residents compared to senior residents.
Methods: The intervention group consisted of eight junior neurology residents (PGY2) who participated in a self-paced EEG course during their EEG elective times, which averaged two and a half weeks. The course included five levels of EEG learning materials such as book chapters, presentations, videos, practice tests, and final tests. The control group comprised ten senior neurology residents (PGY3/PGY4) who followed the usual EEG learning methods implemented in the Umass neurology residency program. The senior residents had an average EEG elective duration of three and a half weeks.
Surveys were conducted to assess the impact of the intervention. The junior residents were surveyed at the beginning and end of their post-graduation year, while the senior residents were surveyed at a random time during their PGY3/PGY4 years. The survey included one question of interest, six questions to measure confidence levels, and 13 EEG-related questions.
Results: The comparison between junior and senior residents revealed a significant difference in knowledge levels. The junior residents who participated in the self-paced EEG course demonstrated a substantial improvement in their knowledge and confidence levels (p = 0.0004). The mean score for juniors increased significantly from 34.38 to 70.13, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from -49.00 to -22.50. This difference was considered extremely statistically significant according to conventional criteria. In contrast, the senior residents who followed the usual EEG learning methods scored an average of 59.00. The difference between juniors and seniors was statistically significant (p = 0.0085), with the mean score for juniors being 11.13 points higher than that of seniors. The 95% confidence interval for this difference ranged from 3.26 to 18.99.
Conclusions: The self-paced EEG course implemented for junior neurology residents significantly improved their knowledge and confidence levels compared to the traditional methods used for senior residents. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the self-paced EEG course in enhancing the training experience and competency of junior residents in EEG interpretation even though seniors had longer EEG elective time. Incorporating such a course into neurology residency programs can be a valuable educational intervention to improve resident education in this field.
Funding: No funding