Operative Note Dictation: Should It Be Taught Routinely in Residency Programs?

OBJECTIVE:To determine the extent of formal education regarding operative dictation in U.S. Obstetrics and Gynecology residency programs and to prospectively evaluate the effectiveness of formal teaching regarding operative dictation. METHODS:A 1-page questionnaire was mailed to all U.S. Obstetrics and Gynecology residency program directors (n = 270). The operative dictations of all Obstetrics and Gynecology residents at the University of Iowa before and after a 30-minute formal teaching session were evaluated using a scoring system developed by the authors of this study (scale 0–20). RESULTS:A 73% response rate (n = 198) was obtained from the surveys. The results from the survey demonstrated that only 23% of programs provide formal teaching regarding operative dictations; however, 83% of the residency program directors felt that it is an important skill to teach. All 16 obstetrics and gynecology residents at the University of Iowa attended a 30-minute teaching session on operative dictation. The mean scores for all residents improved from 9.06 to 18.56 after a formal teaching session (P < .001). The preteaching scores comparing the 4 classes of residents also varied significantly (ranging from a score of 5.5 for first-year residents to 11.25 for the fourth-year residents, P = .009). There were no differences between scores among the residents after they attended the formal teaching session (P = .11). CONCLUSION:Formal teaching of operative dictation is uncommon in U.S. residency programs but felt to be important by most residency program directors. A brief teaching session is effective and may be useful during residency training. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:II-3