James C Healy | PubMed Health

PubMed2003

Informatics training in pathology residency programs: proposed learning objectives and skill sets for the new millennium.

CONTEXT: To be successful in tomorrow's health care environment, to make the most appropriate decisions for their laboratories, to optimize training and continuing medical education opportunities, and to advance pathology as a professional specialty, pathologists must possess basic informatics knowledge and proficiency. Traditional areas of anatomic and clinical pathology residency training employ learning objectives, knowledge expectations, and skill sets, but such items have not been as well developed or widely implemented for pathology informatics training. OBJECTIVE: We present a proposal that defines a standard and specific set of learning (knowledge) objectives and skill set (proficiency) expectations for resident training in pathology informatics. DESIGN: The proposal includes a comprehensive and detailed set of knowledge applications and proficiencies that will assist residency programs in developing basic pathology informatics training for residents. The content of the proposal is based on and compiled from existing successful pathology informatics training programs. Learning objectives include those related to general and enterprise computing as well as objectives related specifically to pathology informatics. Skill set expectations include the ability to use software that facilitates and adds value to the work of pathologists, including the use of a laboratory information system and of productivity software and other tools. Other topics include guidelines for evaluating residents' informatics competency, suggestions regarding curriculum structure and implementation, and recommendations for residents' computing infrastructure. CONCLUSION: This proposal provides a foundation for building effective and standard curricula for residency training in pathology informatics. These curricula will be able to meet increasing expectations and needs for pathologists to contribute to clinical information management.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMed2002

Informatics training in pathology residency programs.

Information management is crucial in pathology, and previous reports have stressed the needfor improved informatics training in pathology residency programs. We surveyed 150 US programs to assess informatics training with respect to types of training, proficiency expectations, and computing infrastructure. Seventy-two programs (48.0%) responded. Of the respondents, 67 (93%) reported offering informatics training; of these, 52 (78%) required it. Most programs integrated informatics into another rotation, usually management. In 37 programs (55%), the amount of informatics training has increased during the last 3 to 5 years. The most common instructional methods were hands-on training and self-study; 61 programs (91%) used multiple methods. In all but 2 programs, computers were designated for residents; 9 programs offered individual computers to residents. All programs provided productivity software. These data suggest progress in informatics training but that considerable room for improvement exists. Our data also document for the first time detailed computing resources available to residents.

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