Developing a Curriculum to Improve Cardiology Fellows' Training in Pregnancy and Cardiovascular Disease

A dedicated curriculum about managing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in pregnancy helped to increase cardiology fellows' knowledge and confidence when treating this patient population, according to a recent study. Researchers created the curriculum and then evaluated general cardiology fellows' knowledge with a board-style examination. A needs assessment questionnaire conducted before and after the curriculum gauged fellows' exposure and attitudes about the care of pregnant women with CVD. 12 of the 17 participating fellows completed the needs assessment pre-curriculum and nine completed it after the curriculum. The mean number of pregnant women with CVD that each fellow treated in inpatient and outpatient settings were 0.75 (1.29) and 0.56 (0.73), respectively. All fellows reported post-curriculum awareness of available resources to treat pregnant women with CVD. Most said they did not have regular exposure to pregnant patients with CVD in their training. Participants' confidence in their knowledge of normal cardiovascular physiology of pregnancy, physical exam skills, and ability to treat pregnant women with valvular disease and arrhythmias grew from pre- to post-curriculum. 15 fellows completed the board-style exam pre- and post-curriculum, and their exam performance also improved, from 64.0% to 75.3% correct. The researchers report their "focused curriculum on pregnancy and CVD improved fellows' knowledge and confidence," and they suggest that "standardized curricula must be developed in order to fill ... critical knowledge gaps and improve outcomes for this vulnerable population."

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