TOP 16 - Teaching What All Pediatricians Need: A Trainee-Led, Multilevel Curriculum to Strengthen Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Education

Publication Number: 1776.TOP 16

Amanda R. Soto Perez, Comer Children's Hospital at University of Chicago Medical Center, chicago, IL, United States; Alp Köksal, University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences The Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States; Colleen Rusciolelli, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Evanston, IL, United States; Ashley C. Andrade, Comer Children's Hospital at University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States; Abubakr Elbashier, University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, IL, United States; Anjali Rao, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States; Lolita Alcocer Alkureishi, University of chicago, Chicago, IL, United States

Background: Nearly 25% of children have developmental, learning, behavioral, or emotional concerns - encountered first in primary care. With few DBP specialists, general pediatricians must manage these concerns, and the American Board of Pediatrics has expanded DBP exam content reflects this shift. Residency training in Developmental-behavioral pediatrics (DBP) training is limited to four weeks. However, our resident needs assessment found many lacked confidence in diagnosis and management of DBP related conditions and concerns. A more structured, and comprehensive DBP education is needed.

Objective: To evaluate impacts of a trainee-led, interactive, cased-based DBP curriculum on pediatric trainees' knowledge and confidence in evaluation and management of common DBP topics (Behavioral disorders, ADHD and feeding challenges). Investigators also sought to examine if this curriculum had any subsequent impact on the "Mental and Behavioral Health" domain of the Pediatric In-Training Exam (ITE) scores.

Design/Methods: The team included one medical student, one resident, three DBP fellows, one general pediatric attending and one DBP attending. Trainees led content creation and delivery with faculty mentorship. Three 45-minute "teach-ins" were delivered to all residents AY2024-2025 using interactive, clinically grounded cases and gamification. Pre/post-session surveys assessed knowledge, confidence, and interest in the field of DBP. ITE scores pre/post curriculum implementation are being analyzed. The study is IRB exempt.

Module 1: Discipline module, knowledge pre- vs. post-test.
Overall score pre-test 51.7% vs. post-test 45% (p=0.38).