Morning Report Survival Guide
UNC Pediatrics Residency Program
2014-2015
Morning Report is a hallmark conference in the education curriculum for the UNC Pediatric Residency Program and its success is dependent on resident participation, enthusiasm and leadership.
The first step in a successful conference is selecting an appropriate case. Cases do not need to be diagnostic dilemmas; on the contrary, a common diagnosis can provide the substrate for many important discussions of presentation, diagnosis and management. Please feel free to discuss possibilities with the chiefs if you have difficulty selecting a case or questions regarding recent morning report topics.
Once a case is chosen, the resident should take a moment to step back and think, “What do I hope people will learn from this conference?” This provides an opportunity to hone teaching skills and, although the chiefs will help with directing the conference, morning reports are best when the presenter takes an active role in teaching and leading discussion.
To help facilitate the case, the chiefs will typically send an email on the Tuesday prior to the week during which the Morning Report will be presented. At least 3 days prior to the Morning Report, the presenting resident should contact the chief residents and be prepared to discuss the case, including:
1.A summary of the case (history, physical findings, lab/ imaging findings, diagnosis, management)
2.Discussion focus such as
1.Immediate management on presentation
2.Transport or disposition decisions
3.Differential diagnosis
4.Work-up
5.Treatment
3.Clinical question to be addressed in presentation including brief EBM
4.Three specific learning points that will be covered in the presentation
The Morning Report will usually consist of the following components: 5-10 minutes for an “ice breaker” of the chief’s choosing, 20 minutes for the presentation and discussion of the case, and 5-10 minutes for a formal presentation by the resident.
The presentation should address a specific clinical question rather than focus on an overview of a broad topic. All presentations should include a brief literature review focused on an aspect of the case and integrate evidence-based medicine into the presentation. Please limit presentations to 5-10 slides and 5-10 minutes.
When presenting, try to keep the pace moving, especially if you have a complicated case. Morning reports go by quickly and have a tendency to run over. The chief will be monitoring the time & will help you move the case along if needed.