B62-01 Journey of an Asynchronous Interactive Pediatric Pulmonary Elective Curriculum: A Multi-Center Feasibility Study

Background There is currently a workforce shortage of pediatric pulmonologists in the United States. Evidence suggests that early exposure during training can shape career interests and inform decisions to pursue subspecialty fellowships. A pediatric pulmonology (PP) elective presents a key opportunity to engage potential future fellows. However, no standardized curriculum currently exists for PP electives. Since the COVID pandemic, asynchronous learning has become increasingly popular. In 2021, the PP program leadership at Columbia University Irving Medical Center developed and validated an online interactive learning curriculum for its PP elective rotation. As a next step, this curriculum was revised, peer-reviewed, and made accessible to a broader national audience via an online platform, as illustrated in Figure 1. Objective To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of disseminating a standardized, online PP elective curriculum nationally, through Google Classroom to medical students and residents during their PP elective. Methods A national needs assessment survey identified interest in broader implementation. In November 2024, interested PP Program Directors (PDs) were granted access to the curriculum via Google Classroom. PDs enrolled learners who then completed pre-tests, educational modules, post-tests, and satisfaction surveys to assess knowledge acquisition and learner experience. PDs completed a satisfaction survey at the end of a six-month implementation period. Additional programs were added on a rolling basis. Results Twenty-four programs participated, with 68 students completing pre-tests and 25 completing post-tests. The pre-test mean score was 67.43±12.9, compared with the post-test mean of 81.8±12.3, representing a mean improvement of 14.3 points (95% CI: 8.4-20.3, p < 0.001). Sixteen learners completed the satisfaction survey. The majority reported that the online curriculum improved their knowledge of pediatric pulmonary pathophysiology and diagnostic testing, with case-based modules receiving the highest satisfaction ratings. Using a 5-point Likert scale, 93.8% of learners rated the case-based modules as satisfactory or very satisfactory, compared to 68.8% for instructional videos and 37.5% for reading materials. Most learners (93.8%) reported applying knowledge from the curriculum to clinical practice. Regarding career impact, 12.5% of learners reported that the curriculum greatly influenced their career plans, and 6.25% reported moderate influence. Most PDs (75%) found the curriculum to be a user-friendly, efficient alternative to their existing elective resources. Conclusion Our study shows that an interactive, digital curriculum can be successfully disseminated through Google Classroom, engaging learners while significantly improving their understanding of PP. Future directions include evaluating the influence of this curriculum on future career paths across multiple institutions. This abstract is funded by: n.a