Faculty mentor/PI email address
jim010@aol.com
Is your research Teaching and Learning based?
1
Keywords
Spaced retrieval; Variable reinforcement; Collective intelligence; Board preparation; Emergency medicine education; Practice-based learning; Residency training
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
Background
Residents frequently engage in individual question-bank study for board preparation; however, missed questions are typically processed in isolation. Educational psychology demonstrates that spaced retrieval and variable reinforcement enhance durable learning. Psychological safety further supports collective sense-making in professional education . The addition of a periodic, structured, collective shared-review process model may leverage these principles within residency training.
Objective
To propose a resident-driven educational initiative that transforms individually missed board-style questions into a shared, psychologically safe learning stream that promotes durable knowledge retention and community-based mastery. The movement of this stream could be a chief resident responsibility, or could be managed by the residency attending leadership. This approach aligns with many ACGME EM milestones.
Educational Innovation
We propose that residents anonymously submit concise summaries of challenging or missed question-bank items, highlighting the core conceptual trap and key learning pivot. A chief resident or designated curator distributes a brief weekly digest (“The Ones That Got Away – Shared Misses. Shared Mastery”). Because residents encounter different question banks across rotations, high-yield concepts would then resurface intermittently across time and learners, naturally producing spaced retrieval. The unpredictable timing and content create variable reinforcement, enhancing attention and consolidation. The unit of analysis for this particular aspect of board review shifts from individual performance to shared conceptual traps, promoting collective intelligence and professional humility.
Proposed Methods for Future Study
We propose that following initial implementation as an educational practice, the initiative could be evaluated in the future using a mixed-methods design. Quantitative measures may include pre/post in-training exam subdomain performance, self-reported board readiness, and engagement metrics. Qualitative analysis could explore resident perceptions of psychological safety, community learning, and perceived knowledge durability. A pilot phase could precede formal IRB submission.
Conclusion:
“The Ones That Got Away” project proposal conceptually reframes missed questions as shared intellectual resources. Grounded in spaced retrieval, variable reinforcement, and psychological safety, the initiative offers a scalable, low-burden approach to durable learning in residency education.
Disciplines
Emergency Medicine | Medical Education | Medicine and Health Sciences
Included in
The Ones That Got Away:Shared Misses, Shared Mastery — A Proposal for Leveraging Spaced Retrieval, Variable Reinforcement, and Collective Learning in Emergency Medicine Residency
Background
Residents frequently engage in individual question-bank study for board preparation; however, missed questions are typically processed in isolation. Educational psychology demonstrates that spaced retrieval and variable reinforcement enhance durable learning. Psychological safety further supports collective sense-making in professional education . The addition of a periodic, structured, collective shared-review process model may leverage these principles within residency training.
Objective
To propose a resident-driven educational initiative that transforms individually missed board-style questions into a shared, psychologically safe learning stream that promotes durable knowledge retention and community-based mastery. The movement of this stream could be a chief resident responsibility, or could be managed by the residency attending leadership. This approach aligns with many ACGME EM milestones.
Educational Innovation
We propose that residents anonymously submit concise summaries of challenging or missed question-bank items, highlighting the core conceptual trap and key learning pivot. A chief resident or designated curator distributes a brief weekly digest (“The Ones That Got Away – Shared Misses. Shared Mastery”). Because residents encounter different question banks across rotations, high-yield concepts would then resurface intermittently across time and learners, naturally producing spaced retrieval. The unpredictable timing and content create variable reinforcement, enhancing attention and consolidation. The unit of analysis for this particular aspect of board review shifts from individual performance to shared conceptual traps, promoting collective intelligence and professional humility.
Proposed Methods for Future Study
We propose that following initial implementation as an educational practice, the initiative could be evaluated in the future using a mixed-methods design. Quantitative measures may include pre/post in-training exam subdomain performance, self-reported board readiness, and engagement metrics. Qualitative analysis could explore resident perceptions of psychological safety, community learning, and perceived knowledge durability. A pilot phase could precede formal IRB submission.
Conclusion:
“The Ones That Got Away” project proposal conceptually reframes missed questions as shared intellectual resources. Grounded in spaced retrieval, variable reinforcement, and psychological safety, the initiative offers a scalable, low-burden approach to durable learning in residency education.