Participation in Therapeutic Camp: A Valuable Experience for Medical Trainees

• Published in: Therapeutic recreation journal 2014-10, Vol.48 (4), p.291
• Main Authors: Burns, Marley E, Fenton, Nicole M, Javalkar, Karina S, Cohen, Sarah E, Haberman, Cara J, Ferris, Maria E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Camps; Career Planning; Data Analysis; Graduate Medical Education; Hospitals; Medical residencies; Physicians; Studies; Therapeutic Recreation
• ISSN: 0040-5914; 2159-6433

The benefits of therapeutic camp for children with chronic conditions have been clearly delineated. However, medical trainees' experiences at therapeutic camp have yet to be explored. This study characterizes pediatric fellows who have participated in therapeutic camp at any point in their training and assesses the impact of the camp experience. An anonymous 13-question online survey about therapeutic camps was deployed to medical fellows in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited programs. Basic demographic and training information were collected as well as details of the trainees' therapeutic camp experience. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted using a mixed-methods approach. A total of 382 pediatric subspecialty fellows from across the USA participated in this study. While the majority of respondents had never participated in therapeutic camp (261, 68.3%), 97.5% of those who had participated reported a positive experience. Trainees described camp as a time of medical growth (22.9%), a rewarding experience (19.8%), and a means of appreciating children with chronic conditions in a normal atmosphere (11.5%). Many trainees also reported that the experience had an effect on their subspecialty choice; specifically, those who participated in a therapeutic camp were significantly more likely to select a chronic illness subspecialty (χ^sup 2^=.92, p=.05). Medical trainees benefit from the therapeutic camp experience. Camp may also provide the opportunity to learn about the benefits of recreation therapy firsthand and to build professional relationships with recreational therapists. More opportunities should be offered for medical trainees to experience therapeutic camp.