Abstract

Background: In Taiwan, all trainees (first-year residents (R1) and postgraduate year two (PGY2)) can apply for second-year residents (R2) physician level since 2021. However, there is no data to assess whether PGY2 will be equal in ability to R1 when dealing with intensive care situations. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate trainees' Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies in the PGY period and intensive care core competencies before achieving R2 status. We also examined the correlation between the two.

Methods: We retrospectively collected PGYs' examination scores on a small-scale objective structured clinical examination and evaluated the old PGY1 or PGY2 scores from the intensive care simulationbased education (SBE) workshop for PGY2 and R1 trainees about three months before the R2 classification. The study period was 2018 to 2020.

Results: A total of 71 trainees (58 R1 and 13 PGY2) attended the intensive care SBEworkshop. Therewas no significant differences in average simulation total scores among 2018 to 2020 (p = 0.172). A comparison of the test scores of R1 in internal medicine (n = 23) with PGY2 (n = 13) in 2020 revealed no significant difference (n = 0.884). Furthermore, the total scores for PGY's ACGME core competencies were positively correlated with the total scores for R1 or PGY2 simulation performance in intensive care (r = 0.580, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Our findings revealed no significant difference between PGY2's and R1's average simulation total scores. Thus, these trainees have the competencies required to move on to R2. The PGY's ACGME core competencies are also positively correlated with intensive care simulation performance score in the future.