A survey of anaesthetic training logbook management among postgraduate students.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A logbook system is essential to ensure standardized competency in medical education. This survey will provide the first overview of our current logbook and can serve as an initial proposal for improvement to a more relevant and valuable tool to assess our postgraduate training programme. METHODS: This survey was conducted among all Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) anaesthetic trainees. The data for this survey was collected by using Google Forms. A link to the form was distributed to all UKM anaesthetic trainees. The survey questionnaire consisted of five sections, demographic data, strengths and weaknesses of logbook content, evaluation of logbook usage experience, perception of the feedback received regarding the logbook performance, and potential improvements that can be made. RESULTS: 107 anaesthetic trainees participated in this study. All of the sections in the logbook were deemed relevant by more than 60% of the trainees except for the on-call section which was seen as relevant only by 37.4% of them. 53.3% agreed that the logbook is useful for learning during the course. However, only 43.9% of them perceived that the logbook was easy and convenient to use. Only 59 respondents received feedback regarding their logbook performance. The analysis of open-ended answers highlights the necessity of transitioning to a fully digitalized logbook system for easy accessibility. It also reveals the need to re-evaluate specific logbook contents and incorporate additional teaching and learning tools to enhance the overall training process. Moreover, the findings emphasize the importance of effectively implementing feedback mechanisms within the logbook system to optimize student learning. CONCLUSION: Serving as a foundational step towards developing a more efficient and structured educational tool, this research provides valuable insights for future advancements in medical education, particularly in anaesthesiology.