Pediatric residents, chief residents, fellows and attending physicians identified resident behaviors that they perceived could enhance learning during residency, according to a thematic analysis summarized in the study abstract. The findings describe three broad areas: encouraging supervisors to teach more, encouraging them to entrust residents with more responsibility, and facilitating educational interactions within the learning environment.
The researchers conducted eight focus groups involving 32 participants: eight pediatric residents, seven chief residents, nine fellows and eight attending physicians who supervise residents. Sessions took place from March 2020 through November 2021. Investigators collected and analyzed the data inductively, using thematic analysis to identify recurring behaviors perceived to maximize residents’ learning. The study examined perceptions across clinical and non-clinical experiences rather than directly measuring learning outcomes.
Two of the identified themes concerned residents’ interactions with supervising physicians. Residents were perceived to promote learning by encouraging supervisors to teach them more and to entrust them with more, thereby allowing participation in experiences described as being at the resident’s learning edge. A third theme focused on interactions with the learning environment. Proposing and questioning were identified as core behaviors, while seeking to understand was characterized as a core mindset. The abstract reports that participants across all four professional levels regarded resident behavior as something residents could use to influence their learning.
The authors concluded that explicitly naming these behaviors may help residents address some challenges associated with the transition to graduate medical education training. The study is qualitative and based on participants’ perceptions, so its results do not establish that the behaviors causally improve learning or identify the size of any such effect. The reported sample was limited to 32 participants in eight focus groups, all drawn from pediatric training or supervision. The supplied evidence is an abstract, so the full article’s procedures, additional participant characteristics and detailed limitations cannot be assessed from the available material.
Subject of Research: Qualitative focus-group study of resident behaviors perceived to enhance learning in pediatric residency training
Article Title: Specific resident behaviors perceived to maximize learning during residency: a thematic analysis
Article References: Rosengard, K. D., Chiel, L. E., Huth, K., Marcus, C. H., & Winn, A. S. (2026). Specific resident behaviors perceived to maximize learning during residency: a thematic analysis. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-10434-0
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s12909-026-10434-0
Keywords: pediatric residency, medical education, resident learning, focus groups, thematic analysis, graduate medical education, clinical supervision, learner engagement, Specific, resident, behaviors, perceived
Cite Scienmag News
Harold Sullivan. (October 20, 2026). Focus groups identify resident behaviors perceived to support learning during pediatric residency. Scienmag. https://scienmag.com/focus-groups-identify-resident-behaviors-perceived-to-support-learning-during-pediatric-residency/
Harold Sullivan. "Focus groups identify resident behaviors perceived to support learning during pediatric residency." Scienmag, 20 October 2026, https://scienmag.com/focus-groups-identify-resident-behaviors-perceived-to-support-learning-during-pediatric-residency/. Accessed 20 October 2026.
Harold Sullivan. "Focus groups identify resident behaviors perceived to support learning during pediatric residency." Scienmag. October 20, 2026. https://scienmag.com/focus-groups-identify-resident-behaviors-perceived-to-support-learning-during-pediatric-residency/
