Teaching, Learning, and Performance in the Surgical Workplace: Insights From the Examination of Intraoperative Interactions.

This Conversations Starter article presents a selected research abstract from the 2017 Association of American Medical Colleges Central Region Group on Educational Affairs annual spring meeting. The abstract is paired with the integrative commentary of three experts who shared their thoughts stimulated by the study. These thoughts explore the value of examining intraoperative interactions among attending surgeons and residents for enhancing instructional scaffolding; entrustment decision making; and distinguishing teaching, learning, and performance in the workplace.

Perceptual Barriers to Becoming a Plastic Surgeon among Underrepresented Medical Students.

Background: The field of plastic surgery has experienced difficulty increasing diversity among trainees, despite significant efforts. Barriers to recruitment of underrepresented in medicine (URM) students are poorly understood. This study assesses URM students' exposure to plastic surgery, access to mentors and research opportunities, and the importance of diversity in the field. Methods: A survey was designed and distributed to members of the Student National Medical Association over 3 months. Survey data were collected using Qualtrics and descriptive statistics, and logistical regressions were performed using SAS. Results: Of the 136 respondents, 75.0% identified as Black (n = 102/136), and 57.4% (n = 66/115) reported a plastic surgery program at their home institution. Of the total respondents, 97.7% (n = 127/130) were concerned about racial representation in plastic surgery, and 44.9% (n = 53/114) would be more likely to apply if there were better URM representation. Most respondents disagreed that there was local (73.4%, n = 58/79) or national (79.2%, n = 57/72) interest in URM recruitment. Students whose plastic surgery programs had outreach initiatives were more likely to have attending (OR 11.7, P < 0.05) or resident mentors (OR 3.0 P < 0.05) and access to research opportunities (OR 4.3, P < 0.05). Conclusions: URM students feel there is an evident lack of interest in recruiting URM applicants in plastic surgery. Programs with outreach initiatives are more likely to provide URM students access to mentorship and research opportunities, allowing students to make informed decisions about pursuing plastic surgery.

Postprocedural Cognitive Load Measurement With Immediate Feedback to Guide Curriculum Development.

BACKGROUND: Methods to assess competency in cardiothoracic training are essential. Here, we report a system that allows us to better assess competency from the perspective of both the trainee and educator. We hypothesized that postprocedural cognitive burden measurement (by the trainee) with immediate feedback (from the educator) could aid in identifying barriers to the acquisition of skills and knowledge so that training curricula can be individualized. METHODS: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), a validated instrument to measure cognitive load, was administered with an online platform after bronchoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for 11 residents. Immediate postprocedure feedback and standardized debriefing occurred for each procedure. RESULTS: Mean NASA-TLX scores were highest (indicating greater cognitive load) for esophagogastroduodenoscopy and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (P < .001). When comparing subscale measures, mental demand was significantly higher for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (P = .026) compared with the other procedures, whereas physical demand was highest for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (P = .018). Self-reported frustration was similar for all case types (P = .247). Cognitive burden decreased with a greater number of procedures for bronchoscopy (P = .027). Significant improvement was noted by the trainee at the end of the rotation in self-assessed procedural competency and preparedness for thoracic board topics (all P < .05). Postprocedure feedback by the attending surgeon correlated with more frequent completion of self-evaluations by the residents. CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal assessment of cognitive load in combination with postprocedural feedback identified barriers to skill acquisition for both residents and educators. This information allows for individualized rotation development as a step toward a competency-based curriculum.

Learning to teach: A novel method for assessing surgical trainees' teaching and operative knowledge.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a simulated teaching activity as an assessment of surgical knowledge and teaching competencies. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, 15 residents and 1 fellow in the Department of Surgery watched three video clips of laparoscopic cholecystectomies and provided feedback to a participant learner. Qualitative and statistical analysis identified differences in surgical knowledge and teaching strategies. RESULTS: As compared to senior trainees, junior trainees were more likely to speculate on the learner's actions (p = 0.033), identify which actions looked correct (p = 0.028), and speculate more on the learner's thoughts (p = 0.02). Senior trainees noted case difficulty more frequently (p = 0.028), identified more actions that looked incorrect (p = 0.004), and speculated more about the learner's emotions (p = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: A simulated teaching scenario successfully assessed operative and teaching competencies, suggesting a novel assessment method.

The Impact of Plastic Surgery Training on Family Planning and Prenatal Health.

BACKGROUND: Plastic surgery trainees who wish to start a family face challenges. This is the first study to collect data directly from residents and fellows to understand issues surrounding childbearing and to propose solutions. METHODS: Following institutional review board approval, an anonymous survey was distributed to all current plastic surgery residents and fellows in the United States. Data regarding demographics, obstetrical complications, parental leave, breastfeeding, and use of assisted reproductive technology were collected. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 307 trainees, for a resident response rate of 27.0 percent. Mean age of the respondents was 31.7 ± 3.8 years, 58.6 percent were married, and 35.3 percent reported at least one pregnancy for themselves or for their partner. Both male (67.4 percent) and female (76.5 percent) respondents intentionally postponed having children because of career. Women were significantly more likely to report negative stigma attached to pregnancy (70.4 percent versus 51.1 percent; p = 0.003) and plan to delay childbearing until after training. Fifty-six percent of female trainees reported an obstetrical complication. Assisted reproductive technology was used by 19.6 percent of trainees. Mean maternity leave was 5.5 weeks, with 44.4 percent taking less than 6 weeks. Mean paternity leave was 1.2 weeks. Sixty-two percent of women and 51.4 percent of men reported dissatisfaction with leave. Sixty-one percent of female trainees breastfed for 6 months and 19.5 percent continued for 12 months. Lactation facilities were available near operating rooms for 29.4 percent of respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Plastic surgery training may negatively impact fertility, obstetrical health, and breastfeeding practices. The data presented in this article provide the groundwork for identifying areas of concern and potential solutions.

Teaching the Retropubic Midurethral Sling Using a Novel Cadaver and Model-Based Approach.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the impact of a model-based teaching program on resident comfort and skill with retropubic midurethral sling (MUS). STUDY DESIGN: Residents were assessed before and after a retropubic MUS teaching session, which included a brief lecture and three interactive teaching stations (cadaver pelvis, retropubic MUS pelvic model, cystoscopy model). Self-assessment measures included MUS-related visual analog scale (VAS), Likert, and open-ended questions. Objective assessment measures were used to score blinded videos of trocar passage on a pelvic model, including a modified objective structured assessment of technical skills (mOSAT) and a retropubic MUS-specific checklist of surgical steps. Emerging themes from the open-ended questions were identified using grounded theory; analysis ceased once theme saturation was achieved. RESULTS: Twenty-five of 37 total residents participated in the training session and 24 participated in this study. Following training, VAS scores, Likert scores, and qualitative analysis indicated greater resident comfort with performing retropubic MUS, with relevant anatomy, and with trocar passage. Residents demonstrated improvement in model trocar passage post-training, with a rise in mOSAT score (47% to 65%; p = .01) and a rise in checklist score (61% to 75%; p = .11). Residents expressed discomfort due to inexperience with MUS, concern regarding trocar passage, and worry over potential complications. Residents reported feeling more prepared to perform MUS after the session. They stressed the importance of repetition and a comfortable learning environment for surgical training, and praised the "hands-on" training session. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate success using a short, single-session, hands-on group training session to improve comfort and skill with retropubic MUS.