Clinical aptitude: two educational strategies for its development in cardiology residents. Quasi-experimental design

Background: This investigation represents the first multicenter study in cardiology in our setting, through which it is intended to determine the effects of two educational strategies: participatory vs. traditional, with respect to the development of clinical aptitude in cardiology residents at three academic sites.Methods: Quasi-experimental, multicenter design.The entire enrollment was studied.An instrument was built that assessed the variable "clinical aptitude" by means of eight indicators and 170 items; conceptual/content validity and reliability were assessed by five cardiologists with teaching and educational research experience.Participatory educational strategy: each session was developed in three phases with structured discussion guides.Traditional educational strategy: each session was conducted in two phases.Sessions were held once a week (2 hours).Total duration: 20 sessions.The measurement instrument was applied in the 1 st and 20 th session.Results: By year of residency, statistical differences were estimated in the overall rating of the indicators between the initial and final measurements, were found to be significant at all three sites.By indicator, the same analysis was performed and the result was the same.Conclusions: A participatory vs. traditional educational strategy has greater effects on the development of clinical aptitude in cardiology residents at the experimental site.