A mixed methods evaluation of a 4-week geriatrics curriculum in strengthening knowledge and comfort among orthopaedic surgery residents

In 2014, the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine implemented a 4-week "Orthogeriatrics" rotation for orthopaedic surgery residents. We sought to assess the rotation's impact on trainees' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours toward caring for older adults, and explore areas for improvement. We used a mixed methods concurrent triangulation design. The Geriatrics Clinical Decision-Making Assessment (GCDMA) and Geriatric Attitudes Scale (GAS) compared knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours between trainees who were or were not exposed to the curriculum. Rotation evaluations and semi-structured interviews with trainees and key informants explored learning experiences and the curriculum's impact on resident physician growth and development in geriatric competencies. Among trainees who completed the GCDMA (n = 19), those exposed to the rotation scored higher in knowledge compared to the unexposed cohort (14.4 ± 2.1 vs. 11.3 ± 2.0, p