A MODEL ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG-USE CURRICULUM FOR PEDIATRIC RESIDENTS

While alcohol and other drug (AOD) use is a major health risk for adol escents in the United States, there is a paucity of AOD training for p ediatric residents. In 1991-92, the University of Wisconsin Medical Sc hool developed an experimential, community-based AOD curriculum for pe diatrics residents. The curriculum included resident participation in a community-based AOD adolescent assessment and intervention program, interactive didactic sessions, role-playing practice, and interviewing skills sessions. The residents who participated in the curriculum (n = 25) were compared with a control group (n = 19). Evaluation included pre- and post-curriculum written tests, objective structured clinical examinations, and residents' ratings of the curriculum components. Th e residents who participated showed significant gains in AOD knowledge , utilization of screening techniques, and clinical management skills as compared with the controls. The residents gave positive ratings to all curriculum components. This well-received curriculum can serve as a national model both for AOD education in pediatrics and for curricul umn development in other areas of adolescent health-risk-taking.