Long-term pediatrician outcomes of a parent led curriculum in developmental disabilities

•Physicians detail the impact that a parent led curriculum in developmental disabilities during their residency has upon their current practice.•Physicians espouse a family-centered approach to care and decision-making.•Physicians demonstrate awareness and sensitivity to the effects that caring for a child with a developmental disability has on the family.•Physicians affirm the need and strive to take on a more prominent role in community resource coordination for the families they serve.•The importance of an integrated approach to health care provision is underscored.

Previous research has demonstrated high satisfaction and perceived relevance of Project DOCC (Delivery of Chronic Care), a parent led curriculum in developmental disabilities, across a sample of medical residents.AimsThe influence of such a training program on the clinical practices and professional activities of these residents once they are established in their careers as physicians, however, has not been studied; this was the aim of the present study.MethodsAn anonymous follow-up survey was designed and disseminated to physicians who participated in Project DOCC during their one-month developmental disabilities rotation as part of their pediatrics or medicine/pediatric residency between 2002 and 2010. Fifty-eight physicians completed the survey.ResultsThe findings suggest that participation in a parent led curriculum during medical residency had a lasting impact on physicians' relationships with families. Specifically, a majority of the physicians espoused a family-centered approach to care, a sensitivity to the interactional effect that caring for a Child with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) has on family members, the need for physicians to have a prominent role in community resource coordination, and the importance of an integrated approach to health care provision.ConclusionsUse of a parent led curriculum as a means to increase the provision of family-centered care by physicians is supported.