Abstract
Background The process for program directors (PDs) to provide feedback to medical schools about their graduates' readiness for postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) training is burdensome and does not generate national benchmarking data. Objective The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) tested the feasibility of administering a standardized Resident Readiness Survey (RRS) to PDs nationally about their PGY-1 residents' preparedness for residency. Methods In 2020 and 2021, the AAMC invited PDs via email to complete RRSs for their PGY-1s who graduated from participating schools; the AAMC provided schools with reports of identified RRS data for their graduates. Outcome measures included school participation rates, PD response rates, PGY-1s' coverage rates (RRSs completed/RRSs PDs invited to complete), RRS completion time (time-stamp difference: RRS opening-submission), and participating schools' feedback about the process collected via AAMC evaluation questionnaires sent to school leaders. Chi-square tested significance of differences between proportions. Results School participation increased from 43.8% (2020: 77 of 176) to 72.4% (2021: 131 of 181). PD response rates, similar in both years overall (2020: 1786 of 2847 [62.7%]; 2021: 2107 of 3406 [61.9%]; P=.48), varied by specialty (P<.001; range 65 of 154 [42.2%], neurology; 109 of 136 [80.1%], internal medicine-pediatrics, both years combined). PGY-1s' coverage rates were similar (P=.21) in 2020 (5567 of 10 712 [52.0%]) and 2021 (9688 of 18 372 [52.7%]). RRS completion time averaged less than 3 minutes. Numerous school leaders reported that RRS data stimulated new, or supported ongoing, curricular quality improvement. Conclusions Administration of a standardized RRS to PDs nationally about PGY-1s preparedness for residency is feasible and will continue.