Participants: John Co, Laura Degnon, Lyndon Key, Marc Majure, Rob McGregor, Heather McPhillips, Jerry Rushton, Linda Waggoner-Fountain

Meeting Notes
There were five agenda items for the conference call:

1. Review of Survey Policy implementation and surveys submitted to APPD. Thus far two surveys have been submitted to the APPD office. The first survey regarding procedural training was sent out on the APPD list-serve after being reviewed by three members of the task force. A second survey was reviewed by three task force members and comments were sent to the investigators.

Next Steps: Through the APPD list-serve, we will ask members if they would be willing to review surveys for approval. Reviews typically take 10 to 15 minutes with the aid of a structured review form, and we anticipate a member needing to review a survey only once every two years.

2. Increasing Collaboration in Educational Research: The APPD Board and Task Force Chairs are working together to develop a plan to redesign the APPD web page to facilitate Program Directors identifying potential collaborators for educational research projects. Some suggested that the website should in some way describe individual program characteristics (size, location, etc) that would enable investigators to identify potentially suitable collaborators. More specific details about website infrastructure and resources will be forthcoming in early 2006. We also discussed finding ways to formally collaborate with COMSEP on educational research projects of mutual interest.

Next Steps: John Co will draft some ideas regarding collaboration and contact Sherlyn Smith who works with COMSEP.

3. Periodic Survey of the Membership: There was consensus that establishing process and content for a periodic (every 1 to 3 years) survey of the membership would be useful, particularly if the survey was designed to
A. Update program information
B. Solicit opinions on issues of importance (work hours, competencies,etc)
C. Provide information about trends in pediatric resident education.

Next Steps: Jerry Rushton, Linda Waggoner-Fountain, and Heather McPhillips will draft their ideas about content areas and questions for the survey.

4. Workshop for APPD Meeting on Educational Research: Some task force members felt that the APPD membership would benefit from having at least one workshop devoted to promoting educational research in residency training. Barriers for success include identification of faculty workshop leaders as well as the timing of relevant workshops being held at the PAS meeting, which often can occur after Program Directors have left to return to their institutions.

Next Steps: John Co will send Rob McGregor slides from workshop he has co-presented regarding conducting and publishing educational research

5. APPD Website Redesign: APPD Task Force Chairs have been working with the APPD council on ways to redesign the APPD website to facilitate exchange of information (curriculum, etc) and increase collaboration amongst members. Rob McGregor indicated that APPD Board will have more information on this in early 2006. At that time members of the research task force may be called upon to help further this effort.