Abstract
BACKGROUND: Self-injectable epinephrine (SIE) is the first line of defense against anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction commonly triggered by food. Internal medicine residents play a crucial role in managing food allergy and anaphylaxis, but knowledge and comfort in doing so may vary. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to assess the efficacy of a brief educational intervention on improving internal residents' preparedness to manage food allergies, specifically focusing on prescribing and counseling patients regarding SIE use. METHODS: A survey assessing residents' understanding and comfort was administered, followed by a presentation of a brief educational module and subsequent completion of a postintervention survey. RESULTS: Thirty-four residents completed both the preintervention and postintervention surveys. Almost all participants reported improvement in their comfort levels for both prescribing and counseling patients on the use of SIE (P < .05). Pre-post knowledge improved from 83% to 97% (P = .02) regarding the correct location of epinephrine injection, and from 37% to 65% (P = .01) regarding appropriate scenarios for prescribing SIE. Ninety-four percent of participants rated the intervention as helpful. CONCLUSIONS: A brief educational module for internal medicine residents showed strong efficacy and participant satisfaction.