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Living in the country and studying in the city. The art of passing exams and remaining sane
Author(s) -
Grant Cameron C.,
Pinnock Ralph,
Innes Asher M.,
Sullivan Michael James
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2008.01382.x
Subject(s) - medicine , webcast , service (business) , medical education , videoconferencing , unit (ring theory) , sitting , multimedia , mathematics education , economy , mathematics , pathology , computer science , economics
Background: Doctors working in smaller centres have fewer resources available to help them pass the specialist examination components of their training. Aim: To describe the delivery of a teaching programme that helps paediatricians in training in both peripheral and regional centres in New Zealand (NZ) to successfully prepare for their specialist written examinations. Methods: The teaching programme was initially developed for paediatricians in training in Auckland and then developed into a national teaching resource. Real‐time visual and auditory communication among the various teaching sites was established by the NZ Telepaediatric Service. The sessions were also available for subsequent review, initially as a DVD recording or via a Telepaediatric service videoconferencing unit and, since 2007, as a webcast. Results: In association with the development of this teaching programme, the percentage pass rate for the paediatric specialist examinations has increased significantly for those exam candidates that access the teaching sessions remotely from other NZ centres (60% vs. 82%, χ 1 2 = 4.28, P = 0.04). Between 80 and 90% of NZ candidates now pass the examination. In comparison, the pass rate for Australian candidates sitting the identical examination remains between 60 and 70%. Conclusions: Telepaediatrics has enabled interactive sessions to be conducted with students in peripheral and the other regional centres as well as those attending in person in Auckland. Its development has enabled examination pass rates in smaller centres to increase.