Evaluations

In their clinical year, trainees are evaluated monthly after each rotation by their attending faculty using a formal written evaluation form. These original evaluation forms are reviewed monthly by the Clinical Director (Dr. V. Quagliarello) and are kept on permanent file in the Infectious Diseases administrative office. In the subsequent Research Training years, trainees meet on at least a weekly basis with their individual research mentor, and every 6 months with the Research Training Committee to evaluate the progress of their project and research training program.

To keep confidentiality as best as possible, trainees do not read their original evaluation forms, but a summary of each monthly evaluation is read to them by the Clinical Director every 6 months. They do have the opportunity to respond to their evaluations and contest them if they disagree. Any problems or discrepancies are discussed at monthly Faculty Section meetings when necessary.

The discipline of Infectious Disease clinical care does not involve performance of specific clinical procedures on individual patients. Nonetheless, the written evaluation form does include faculty assessment of fellow skill in management of IV catheters, interpretation of microbiologic stains and use of antimicrobial agents. Additionally, during Clinical Microbiology rounds fellows are instructed and monitored in the evaluation of microbiologic stains and other diagnostic technologies used in the microbiologic identification of infectious pathogens.

Evaluation of faculty

Faculty are evaluated by trainees in their clinical year using anonymous evaluation forms sent at the end of each monthly rotation. The evaluation forms, which evaluate the clinical knowledge and teaching ability of the faculty member, are then compiled and summarized for feedback by the Acting Section Chief (Vincent Quagliarello, M.D.) in yearly meetings with each faculty member. Additionally, trainees give verbal feedback to the Clinical Director every 6 months regarding faculty evaluation when they meet to discuss their own evaluations.

Faculty who serve as mentors for fellows in their research training are evaluated by the Research Training Committee and the Section Chief for their suitability as research mentorship in the future.

Evaluation of program by staff and residents

The training program is evaluated by the faculty in the Infectious Disease Section on an ongoing basis in Section Meetings each month. Additionally, the Clinical Director and Section Chief meet yearly with the leadership of each of the two affiliated hospitals (Dr. Boyce at The Hospital of Saint Raphael and Dr. Wong at the VA CT) to discuss progress and necessary changes in the clinical training program as needed.

These evaluations are critical to overall training program development and have been instrumental in our continuous revisions and improvements in the training program yearly.