Supervised training of practical procedures in the internal medicine residency.

In order to get feedback whether the medical residents are getting adequate supervised training to perform practical procedures, a questionnaire was distributed among the residents asking their involvement in sixteen frequently performed procedures in the medical unit of the Aga Khan University Medical Centre. Though the residents were satisfied about their training in doing lumbar punctures, pleural and peritoneal aspirations, bone marrow aspiration and trephine and chest tubes placement, they showed their concern about training in putting central lines, venous cut downs, cardiac pacing and biopsies. A better schedule training programme, organized subspecialty rotation, continuous evaluation of resident's skill, credentialing procedures and willingness on the part of faculty to teach and residents to learn may improve the training.