My top three ways to use blogs

1. Invite resident and fellow comments or postings on their educational and work environments, programs, and work environments. The accrediting body for residency programs, the ACGME, requires that residents be provided with a forum for communicating and exchanging information on their educational and work environments, programs, and other resident issues (Institutional Requirements http://www.acgme.org/) The goal of this forum is to allow residents to raise and resolve issues without fear of intimidation or retailiation. A blog could be a place for residents to come together within an online community, read information posted by others and respond. This could be particularly beneficial here in Buffalo, as our residents and fellows are spread out among nine hospital locations and many more clinic sites throughout the city and region.
2. Create a medical education literature circle. Although there is no formal requirement attached to this potential use of blogs, the school has been in the process of focusing on our faculty's development of their educational skills. Since faculty are also spread out around the city and region, a virtual location for reading, commenting, and sharing information could be a valuable experience.
3. Make use of the commenting feature to encourage reflection and comment on patient safety practices being implemented by hospitals. Residents and fellows must demonstrate an awareness or and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care (ACGME Common Program Requirements - Comptencies - Systems Based Practice) Hospitals are looking for ways to educate residents and fellows on patient safety changes and new developments. Residency and fellowship programs are looking for ways to assess resident and fellow learning in the area of patient safety and systems based practice. The comment feature could be used, or residents could be required to post a reflection within their web based portfolio maintained by the University.