In This Issue

Artino views graduate medical education through the lens of situated cognition, commenting on perception rather than memory as the primary means by which people learn and learn to apply the knowledge gained (pp. 177).

Three perspectives address training for careers in primary care. West discusses attributes of generalist practice that may limit the appeal of “front line” medicine (pp. 184). Lee summarizes dialogue from a Society of General Internal Medicine Education Summit on how graduate medical education can help meet primary care challenges arising from the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (pp. 187). Orientale proposes that discussions about the length of graduate medical education in family medicine must balance idealism and realism (pp. 192).

In an article from the United Arab Emirates Abdel-Razig and Alameri describe plans to develop a workforce to meet the health care needs of Emirati citizens (pp. 195).

Eaton and colleagues aggregate key themes in the recent literature on graduate medical education in internal medicine, focusing on scientific rigor and “quality” (pp. 203), and the update from Locke and colleagues on important articles in internal medicine highlights 4 themes in this body of research (pp. 211). Wohlauer and colleagues present influential articles in surgical education during a recent decade; they identify simulation as a central theme for publications between 2002 and 2012 (pp. 219).

Two articles offer context for the reviews. Cooke discusses how themes from the reviews link to larger topics of relevance in medical education and practice (pp. 201). Yarris and colleagues suggest that focus on methodologic rigor at the expense of other important attributes, such as utility, may diminish the value of research in medical education for consumers and challenge the readers to define “quality” in education research (pp. 180).

Ambrose and colleagues report on the presence of elements related to cultural competence in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) program requirements (pp. 227).

Ly et al research the prevalence and effect of interruptions of junior residents' work in a New Zealand teaching hospital (pp. 232). A commentary by Westbrook explores the threshold when interruption of residents' work becomes too frequent (pp. 337).

Several articles in this issue present research in obstetric and gynecology training. Guiahi and colleagues analyze enablers of, and barriers to, abortion training (pp. 238); a second article from the same authors examines how institutional training constraints may negatively affect the subsequent provision of the full spectrum of women's health care services (pp. 244). Kennedy and colleagues report differences in attrition rates for obstetrics and gynecology and other clinical specialties between 2000 and 2009 (pp. 267). Anderson et al analyze statistical literacy of obstetrics-gynecology residents (pp. 272), and a commentary by Wegwarth explores the negative consequences of physicians' statistical literacy on the quality of patient care (pp. 340).

Kersten et al validate a tool for assessing the effectiveness of critical appraisals in evidence-based medicine (pp. 252).

Findings from a study of the prevalence of burnout in internal medicine residents, their coping behaviors, and the role of spirituality are presented by Doolittle and colleagues (pp. 257).

Two articles assess training context and performance on board certification examinations. Juul and colleagues examine the relationship between performance on the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry In-Training Examination and Board Certification (pp. 262). Dillon et al explore the relationship between the American Board of Anesthesiology Part 1 Certification Examination and the United States Medical Licensing Examination (pp. 276).

Covington et al present an educational innovation to teach cost-conscious medicine: impact of a simple educational intervention on appropriate abdominal imaging at a community-based teaching hospital (pp. 284).

George and colleagues report on the effectiveness of a learning coach in facilitating residents' development of goal setting and reflection skills (pp. 289).

Macario and colleagues report on the process and outcomes of the Stanford Anesthesia Faculty Teaching Scholars Program, describing benefit to the institution through the development of durable educational products (pp. 294). Cable et al describe a writing retreat for junior faculty as an approach to enhance academic writing productivity and provide data on the effect (pp. 299).

Yazici and colleagues discuss the impact and sustainability of an improvement project addressing handovers from night-float residents in an internal medicine program (pp. 303).

Ölveczky et al report on the use of an intervention to educate internal medicine residents about delirium and its risk factors (pp. 309).

Brief reports discuss the fiscal impact of different interpretations of the ACGME Program Requirements in Anesthesiology (Backeris et al, pp. 315); describe construction and use of a simple and novel training model for loop electrosurgical excisional procedure (Walters and colleagues, pp. 320); test the use of a novel block conference model in pediatrics and the effect on resident attendance, satisfaction, and learning (Moreno et al, pp. 323); and suggest free clinics as an alternative continuity experience for internal medicine residents that enhances preparedness for working in resource-constrained settings (Pincavage et al, pp. 327).

Rip Outs in this issue discuss intraoperative assessment and feedback for surgery residents (Dougherty, pp. 333), and improving resident sign-outs through education and structured audits (DeKosky, pp. 335).

In the “Observations” category, Hategan and colleagues discuss an innovative approach for mentoring female psychiatry residents in the pursuit of scholarly activities (pp. 342). In the “Comments” category, Walsh recommends including discussions of costs and returns in reports on educational innovations (pp. 343), Schenning and Tseng comment on resident mistreatment and the efforts of the ACGME's Council of Review Committee Residents (pp. 344), and Yunyongying and Savoy suggest that a solution to this paradox of service and education is emphasizing individual learning objectives based on individual learning and improvement needs (pp. 345).

Gafni describes the impact of a different environment in a Veterans Affairs health care institution on the graduate of a Canadian residency program (pp. 346).

Philibert and colleagues describe field testing of a site visit without a program information form planned for the Next Accreditation System and present early data on feasibility, utility, and acceptance (pp. 349).