140 - Examining the Correlation Between Didactic Conference Attendance and Year-Over-Year In-Training Exam Performance in Pediatric Residents

Publication Number: 4137.140

Jonathan Schachne, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Glen Oaks, NY, United States; Abigail O'Rourke, Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY, United States; Donna Perruzza-Marciano, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Glen Oaks, NY, United States; Stephen Barone, Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY, United States

Background: Resident didactic conferences are a cornerstone of graduate medical education, designed to deliver a standardized core curriculum. The In-Training Exam (ITE) is a tool for objectively assessing medical knowledge. The direct impact of conference attendance on improvement in ITE scores remains unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to determine if a correlation exists between resident attendance at a daily noon-conference curriculum and their subsequent year-over-year (YOY) change in ITE scores.

Design/Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single pediatric residency program at a large children’s hospital, including 62 pediatric residents from the 2024-2025 academic year. Data collected included individual resident conference attendance percentage over the academic year and their ITE scores from 2024 and 2025. The primary outcome was the change in ITE score (2025 score - 2024 score). Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between the percentage of conference attendance and the YOY change in ITE score.

Results: On average, residents demonstrated an improvement in ITE scores. PGY1 residents (n = 32) had an average attendance of 82.8% and an average score increase of 12.34 points. PGY2 residents (n = 30) had an average attendance of 64.7% and an average score increase of 11.60 points (Table 1). Despite the nearly 20% difference in average attendance, the mean score improvement was similar between the groups.

Linear regression analysis of the entire cohort (n = 62) revealed a very weak positive correlation between conference attendance and the change in ITE score. The coefficient of determination (R²) was 0.029, indicating that conference attendance percentage explained only 2.9% of the variance in year-over-year ITE score changes (Figure 1).

Conclusion(s): While residents demonstrated expected knowledge growth, as measured by multiple-choice examinations, there was no meaningful correlation between their attendance at didactic conferences and the magnitude of that improvement. This suggests that other factors, such as independent study habits, clinical experience, or individual learning and testing styles, are likely more significant drivers of ITE performance. Residency programs should consider that mandating attendance alone may not be a sufficient strategy to improve board exam preparedness and should continue to promote a multifaceted approach to resident education.

Figure 1
Conference Attendance and Change in ITE Score.pdfConference Attendance and Change in ITE Scores

Table 1
Table 1 - PAS.pdfDescriptive data of conference attendance, 2024 ITE score, 2025 ITE score among class years, and within the total cohort (n = 62)