The Current State of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Residency Training in Canada: A Needs Assessment From Program Directors

To perform a needs assessment to determine whether a mandatory Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology (PAG) training experience in each Obstetrics and Gynecology (ObGyn) residency program in Canada is required and feasible.

This was a comparative descriptive design in which the 16 ObGyn Residency Program Directors (PD) in Canada were asked to undergo a 20-minute structured phone interview. These interviews were recorded, and explored how PAG and Reproductive Endocrinology (RE) objectives are met in each program, the PD’s awareness of PAG opportunities in North America, and the feasibility of a mandatory training experience. This project is Research Ethics Board (REB) approved.

Of 16 PDs, 12 gave consent and completed the phone interview. There is at least 1 PAG-trained ObGyn per institution, with a wide variety of clinical and academic experiences in PAG for residents between residency programs. There is much overlap among PAG and RE. All PDs interviewed believe that PAG training is important and should be mandatory; however, many feel that they lack the resources to implement a PAG mandatory training experience and that many barriers to such a curriculum exist.

PAG training experiences should be mandatory in all ObGyn training programs, according to participating PDs. PAG providers were identified at all the participating residency programs, and efforts should be made to support these providers in delivering the educational PAG content to ObGyn residents so the residents can become competent in the care of young women and children. PDs should be provided with the available PAG resources and resident elective opportunities.