(120) The Summer Adolescent Medicine Intensive – a New Look at Fellowship Medical Education

Background: Traditionally, Adolescent Medicine fellowship trainees received a standardized selection of lectures as review and preparation for the upcoming academic year. However, review of the 2024 Subspecialty In-Training Exam results demonstrated content that merited potential revision. The Summer Adolescent Medicine Intensive (SAMI) was created to respond to these needs, preparing fellows for board testing over a 2-year lecture cycle.

Methods: Topics were matched with the 2020 American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) content outline for Adolescent Medicine board exam and were identified for revision if there was: no alignment between a lecture and content; no standardized lecture given on content; or a high frequency of incorrect answers being chosen despite a standardized lecture that matched with ABP content. A 2-year curriculum was created, focusing on 3-hour lecture blocks per week over 7 weeks. Pre- and post-SAMI surveys regarding comfort levels of topics were completed. Response options were: 1) I am not at all comfortable with this topic, 2) I can take examinations on this topic and pass, 3) I can apply the knowledge to medical evaluation, diagnosis, and management, 4) I can explain these diagnoses to patients and families, and 5) I can teach this topic to other providers. Fellows could select as many responses as desired. Scores were weighted based upon fellows' comfort levels with topics before and after the first SAMI session. Results were assigned numerical values (0-4) and summated to provide percent comfort levels out of the max score of 600 points.

Results: Fellows (N=5; 1 each 1st/2nd years; 3 3rd years) in the 2024-2025 academic year were enrolled. Preliminary results before SAMI demonstrated a 63% comfort level; after, comfort increased to 71%. There was a minor increase in prepubertal gynecology; contraception and sexually transmitted diseases had a high baseline comfort level. Sports medicine, gender health basics, thyroid disorders increased 10%; menses suppression increased 12%; eating disorders and normal teen nutrition increased >20%.

Conclusions: The SAMI curriculum offers a two-year structured, standardized approach to fellows’ learning experiences that can be adapted based on in-training examinations and content outlines. Preliminary results highlight increased perceived knowledge. The 2-year curriculum cycle permits application regardless of training level and allows 3rd years to participate in curriculum assessment and teaching. SAMI may allow balanced and directed didactic and clinical learning to develop robust competency expected of ABP-certified adolescent medicine subspecialists.