Further dissemination of medical education projects after presentation at a pediatric national meeting (1998-2008).

Background: Further dissemination of medical education work presented at national meetings is limited.

Purposes: The purpose of this study was to explore dissemination outcomes of scholarly work in pediatric medical education.

Methods: Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics (COMSEP) members who presented at COMSEP national meetings from 1998 to 2008 received a questionnaire about scholarly dissemination outcomes. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis explored variables related to dissemination. Qualitative analysis of free text comments explored barriers to dissemination.

Results: Outcomes were determined for 81% of presentations (138/171). The dissemination rate was 67% (92/138 presentations), with 47 publications (34%). Dissemination rates did not vary by presentation type (poster vs. oral) or project type. There was no relationship between presentation type, project type, and dissemination method. Barriers included perceived inadequate time, mentorship, and methodological skills for scholarly work.

Conclusions: Most projects were further disseminated. Additional resources including mentoring and protected time for scholarly work are needed by educators to optimize dissemination.