Needs Assessment in Postgraduate Medical Education: A Review

Abstract

Although the concept of needs assessment in continuing medical education is well accepted, there is limited information on needs assessment in postgraduate medical education. We discuss the learning needs of postgraduate trainees and review the various methods of needs assessment such as: questionnaire surveys, interviews, focus groups, chart audits, chart-stimulated recall, standardized patients, and environmental scans in the context of post graduate medical education. Keywords: residents, medical education, needs assessment, questionnaire surveys, interviews, focus groups, chart-audit, chart-stimulated recall, standardized patients, environmental scans.