702 - Building Confidence and Competence: Impact of a Novel, Asynchronous Pediatric Infectious Diseases Curriculum for Trainees

Publication Number: 2685.702

Kevin M. Claunch, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States; Alison M. Helfrich, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, United States; Matthew Penfold, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Chesapeake, VA, United States; Nanda Ramchandar, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, United States; Megan Donahue, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX, United States; Andrew W. Hill, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Chevy Chase, MD, United States; Elena M. Crecelius, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States; David R.. Stagliano, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, United States

Background: Infectious diseases (ID) content accounts for 7% of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) Certifying Examination, yet recent trainees within the Military Health System (MHS) have scored below the national average on ID content for both the ABP Certifying and In-Training Exams (ITE). This highlights a critical knowledge gap in pediatric ID education. Clinical exposure is variable, and no standardized didactic curriculum exists across MHS training sites.

Objective: We aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate a standardized pediatric ID curriculum to improve trainee knowledge and comfort with diagnosing and managing infectious diseases.

Design/Methods: Using Kern's 6-step approach for curriculum development, we created a rotation curriculum of ten asynchronous educational modules of high-yield ID topics (lower respiratory infections, osteoarticular infections, etc.) consisting of evidence-based learning materials (review articles, podcasts, or recorded lectures) and an active learning component (board-style questions or interactive games) (Fig. 1). Trainees completed a 20-item knowledge-based multiple choice pre- and post-test. Similarly, a 34-response pre- and post-curriculum survey assessed comfort in diagnosis and management, module effectiveness, and career interest in pediatric ID using Likert-scales (1-5) and free response. Descriptive statistics were performed to analyze quantitative data. Statistical differences were evaluated using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Results: In June 2025, we implemented the curriculum at four MHS pediatric residency sites; to date, 6 trainees (4 students, 2 residents) have completed it. Trainees scored 17.5% higher on post-tests (Fig. 2). Trainees rated module effectiveness as 4.17-4.83/5, with the highest rated modules being Antibiotics (4.83/5) followed by Pre-Travel and Vector-Borne Infections (both 4.67/5). Comfort level in diagnosis and management increased significantly from "slightly comfortable" to "comfortable" (Fig. 3). Interest in pursuing a pediatric ID career remained stable overall (Fig. 3). Qualitative feedback commended the curriculum's organization, accessibility, and relevance to clinical practice.

Conclusion(s): Development and implementation of a structured, standardized pediatric ID curriculum across multiple training sites resulted in measurable gains in trainee knowledge and confidence. Early results suggest this asynchronous model may serve as a scalable framework for enhancing ID education across diverse institutions. Next steps include longitudinal assessment to evaluate sustainability and impact on ITE and ABP Certifying Exam performance.

Development of a Novel, Asynchronous Pediatric Infectious Diseases Curriculum Using Kern's 6 Steps of Curriculum Development


Improvement Trend in Pediatric Infectious Diseases Knowledge with Standardized Curriculum
Pediatric infectious diseases knowledge improved following completion of the standardized curriculum. The median score on the pre-curriculum knowledge assessment was 65% compared to 85% on the post-assessment. This difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.094) as determined by Wilcoxon signed-rank test but does demonstrate a trend toward improvement.


Change in Pediatric ID Comfort Level and Interest Pre- and Post-Curriculum
Comfort level with diagnosis and management of pediatric infectious diseases overall increased significantly post-curriculum. Interest in pediatric ID as a career choice remained stable. 1 = not at all comfortable/extremely disinterested; 2 = slightly comfortable/disinterested; 3 = somewhat comfortable/neither interested nor disinterested; 4 = comfortable/somewhat interested; 5 = very comfortable/very interested. Statistically significant differences are represented by *p < 0.001 as determined by Wilcoxon signed-rank test.