Transforming the "SEAD": Evaluation of a Virtual Surgical Exploration and Discovery Program and its Effects on Career Decision-Making.

OBJECTIVE: The abrupt cessation of in-person education due to the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for preclerkship students to explore a career in surgery. To supplement the lack of exposure, the Surgical Exploration and Discovery (SEAD) program was transitioned to an entirely virtual format. This study aims to describe the virtual SEAD program and evaluate its effectiveness as a career decision-making (CDM) intervention. DESIGN: The week-long program was delivered on Microsoft Teams, featured 11 surgical specialties, and comprised four activities: live demonstrations, virtual operating room observerships, career talks, and technical skills workshops. The program was evaluated using the four levels of the Kirkpatrick model: (1) reactions, (2) knowledge, (3) CDM behaviors - assessed using the Career Decision-making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ) - and (4) results. The latter was indirectly assessed using CDDQ scores from an in-person SEAD program, where lower CDDQ scores indicate less difficulty with CDM. SETTING: Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Forty pre-clerkship students (27 first and 13 second year students) at the University of Ottawa RESULTS: Level 1: 97.5% of participants rated the program as good or very good. Live demonstration and technical skills workshops were the highest rated activities. Level 2: participants' scores on knowledge-based questions about a surgical career significantly increased following the program (pre: 9/25 vs post: 15/25, p = 0.008). Level 3: overall mean CDDQ scores (±SD) decreased difficulties with significantly following the program (pre: 45.6 ± 10.5 vs post: 38.8 ± 10.9, p < 0.001), which indicates decreased CDM difficulties. Level 4: Except for one sub-category, the difference in mean CDDQ scores between the virtual and in-person programs were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: The program received the positive reactions and significantly increased participants' knowledge. The change in CDDQ scores following the virtual program suggests it may reduce career decision-making difficulties in the short-term. In-person surgical exposure remains important; however, a hybrid model may be valuable in resource limited settings. WC: 300.

Development, implementation, and uptake of a novel Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) residency recruitment committee strategy in the era of COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: Given restrictions on electives outside of medical students' home institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the objective of this study was to create a novel recruitment strategy for the University of Ottawa's (uOttawa) urology residency program. METHODS: A steering committee was formed and created a three-part recruitment strategy that included a new uOttawa urology website, a residency program social media campaign (Twitter and Instagram), and a virtual open house (VOH). Descriptive data from the website and Instagram and Twitter accounts were collected. Attendees of the VOH completed a mixed-methods survey, which collected quantitative and qualitive responses assessing aspects of the VOH and virtual resource use. RESULTS: From August 1 to December 31, 2020, the uOttawa urology website had 1707 visits. The Twitter account had a total of 29 000 views with 1000-5000 views per tweet. Thirty-one candidates attended the VOH. Survey responders reported that the most frequently used resources to gain knowledge of the program were the website (81%) and Twitter account (71%). The most helpful and informative resources were the uOttawa urology website, the VOH, and direct conversations with residents arranged through the website. Despite not having completed an elective, 26 students (84%) felt they had an understanding of what it might feel like to train in the program. Suggestions by students for future initiatives included one-on-one virtual meetings, another VOH, and more information on selection processes. CONCLUSIONS: A multifaceted, virtual recruitment strategy can be implemented to improve candidate understanding and engagement with residency programs while visiting elective opportunities remain limited.

Evaluating the efficacy of self-study videos for the surgery clerkship rotation: an innovative project in undergraduate surgical education.

Background: Educational videos have become valuable resources and can address some of the pitfalls of traditional learning. To ensure clerkship students have adequate exposure to curriculum objectives, a series of objective-aligned self-directed learning video podcasts covering core surgical concepts were developed by medical students and surgical residents. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the video podcasts in the surgery clerkship rotation. Methods: Nineteen video podcasts were created, housed at www.surgicaleducationportal.com, and distributed to third-year medical students completing their surgical clerkship. A 10-question multiple-choice quiz was administered before and after students viewed each video, and they were also asked to complete a satisfaction survey. Results: A total of 302 paired pretests and posttests were completed. There was a mean increase of 2.7 points in posttest scores compared with pretest scores (p < 0.001). On a Likert scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being excellent, students rated the usefulness of the videos as 4.3, the quality of the content as 4.3 and the quality of the video as 4.2. Ninety-eight percent of students would recommend these videos to their classmates. Conclusion: Video podcasts are an effective modality for engaging medical students and may improve standardization of learning during their surgical clerkship.

Contexte: Les vidéos de formation sont devenues d'inestimables ressources et elles peuvent combler certaines des lacunes de l'enseignement traditionnel. Pour que les résidents bénéficient d'une exposition adéquate aux objectifs curriculaires, une série de balados vidéo d'autoapprentissage centrés sur des objectifs reliés aux principaux concepts de chirurgie a été réalisée par des étudiants en médecine et des résidents en chirurgie. L'objectif de l'étude était d'évaluer l'efficacité des balados pour les stages de chirurgie. Méthodes: Dix-neuf balados vidéo ont été réalisés (accessibles en anglais au www.surgicaleducationportal.com) et distribués à des étudiants de troisième année de médecine qui effectuent leur stage de chirurgie. Un questionnaire en 10 points à choix multiples leur a été administré avant et après le visionnement de chaque vidéo; ils ont ensuite été invités à répondre à un questionnaire d'évaluation. Résultats: En tout 302 pré- et post-tests appariés ont été effectués. On a observé une augmentation de 2,7 points aux scores post-test, comparativement aux scores pré-test (p < 0,001). Sur une échelle de Likert allant de 1 à 5, 5 correspondant à excellent, les étudiants ont accordé un score de 4,3 pour l'utilité des balados vidéo et de 4,2 pour leur qualité. Quatre-vingt-dix-huit pour cent des étudiants recommanderaient ces balados vidéo à leurs camarades. Conclusion: Les balados vidéo sont une modalité efficace pour mobiliser les étudiants en médecine et pourraient faciliter l'uniformisation de l'apprentissage lors des stages de chirurgie.

Exploring the Impact of the Surgical Exploration and Discovery (SEAD) Program on Medical Students' Perceptions of Gender Biases in Surgery: A Mixed-Method Evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: Female representation in surgery is increasing; however, many surgical specialties continue to observe disproportionately fewer females entering their residencies. This study assesses how medical students' gender-based perceptions of surgical careers are impacted by attending the Surgical Exploration and Discovery (SEAD) program, a 2-week, immersive procedural program that offers observerships, mentorship, and workshops across 8 surgical specialties. DESIGN: In this mixed-method prospective cohort study, medical students' awareness, beliefs, and experiences of gender bias in surgery were assessed using a 10-item Gender Bias in Medical Students Assessment-Surgery (GBMSA-S) psychometric survey instrument inspired by the validated Gender Bias in Medical Education Scale (Parker et al., 2016). SETTING: Undergraduate Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen first-year medical students in the experimental group (8 male, 10 female) and 18 in the control group (7 male, 11 female). RESULTS: Compared to the control group, SEAD participants had significant changes in agreement with the statements: "surgery is male-dominated," "medical studies are mainly done in males," "gender discrimination is more pronounced in surgery than other medical professions," "consideration of my gender is an important factor in whether or not to pursue surgery as a career," and "I have encountered gender-biased attitudes and/or behaviors among non-physician health care staff" (p < 0.05). Perceptions of gender bias were reduced post-SEAD. Subgroup analysis by gender suggested that the significance of these changing perspectives was due to female participants' responses. SEAD also produced an increase in the level of interest in surgery (p = 0.04). Receptive and authentic dialogue was identified as a critical step toward social inclusivity (n = 11). CONCLUSIONS: Early surgical exposure through SEAD produces a statistically significant increase in surgical interest and reduces certain perceptions of gender bias in surgery, particularly among female medical students.

Using Self-Reported Measures of Confidence and Anxiety to Determine the Efficacy of the Surgical Exploration And Discovery (SEAD) Program in Reducing Anxiety and Increasing Confidence in Performing Procedural Skills.

OBJECTIVE: Clerkship students feel increased anxiety and lack of confidence when it comes to surgery. This study assessed whether participation in Surgical Exploration And Discovery (SEAD), a 2-week intensive surgical program that includes career information, simulation workshops, and operating room observerships, would help decrease anxiety, increase confidence, and foster interest in a surgical career. SETTING: This study took place at The Ottawa Hospital in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. DESIGN: Thirty first year medical students were randomly selected for the SEAD program and 32 were only given the program's instruction manual during the duration of the program serving as the control. At baseline and after the completion of SEAD, both groups were given a survey containing the State Trait Anxiety Inventory that measures self-reported anxiety levels with an adjunct that gauges confidence and interest in a surgical career. RESULTS: Students who participated in the program showed significant improvements in self-perceived knowledge and confidence for each surgical skill: scrubbing (p-value < 0.001, p-value < 0.001), maintaining sterility (p-value < 0.001, p-value < 0.001), and surgical assisting (p-value < 0.001, p-value < 0.001). However, there was no difference in the average state anxiety with procedural skills (p-value = 0.190) between students who participated in SEAD and those who did not. Students who completed SEAD had a notable increase in their interest in pursuing a career in surgery compared with their pretest (p-value = 0.020) and compared with the control group (p-value = 0.600). CONCLUSIONS: The SEAD program may increase medical students' confidence and interest in pursuing a surgical career. These results encourage offering medical students with similar opportunities that provide exposure to surgery in preclerkship.

Does being in the hot seat matter? Effect of passive vs active learning in surgical simulation.

BACKGROUND: Participation in simulation can improve future performance, but it is unclear if observation of simulation scenarios can produce an equivalent benefit. METHODS: First-year surgical residents were exposed to various simulation scenarios in groups of 4 or 5, either through active participation or passive observation. Residents were individually assessed on 3 of the scenarios. Scores were categorized based on resident level of exposure to the scenario and analyzed using a multivariate analysis. RESULTS: 32 residents were enrolled and 28 underwent testing. Previous exposure to the scenario as a participant or observer led to improved performance on medical management and overall performance compared to those who had not been exposed (p < 0.02). However, active participation did not improve performance relative to passive observation (p > 0.1). Previous exposure did not improve communication aspects of the scenarios. CONCLUSION: Analyses confirmed the advantage of simulation-based training, but additionally suggest that the benefits for similar in both active participants and passive observers. This supports the idea of group based simulation training which can be more cost and time efficient.

Surgical Exploration and Discovery Program: Early Exposure to Surgical Subspecialties and Its Influence on Student Perceptions of a Surgical Career.

OBJECTIVE: Interest in pursuing a surgical career has been declining among North American medical students. Numerous factors are known to influence student interest in pursuing surgery as a career, such as prestige, income potential, and overall lifestyle. Given that many of these factors are rooted in bias, it may be possible to properly address several of these stereotypes through first-hand, early exposure to the field of surgery via the Surgical Exploration and Discovery (SEAD) Program. The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to investigate whether participation in an intensive, 2-week surgical program may alter student opinion, bias, and/or preconceived assumptions of a career in surgery, and (2) to determine whether these changes in perception, if present, has an impact on student interest in pursuing a surgical career compared to baseline. DESIGN: This was a prospective cohort study. The analysis cohort consisted of 30 first-year medical students who participated in the 2-week SEAD program. The control group consisted of 29 first-year medical students who did not participate in the SEAD program. Both the SEAD and control groups completed two surveys: (1) an entry survey distributed prior to the start of the SEAD program, and (2) an exit survey distributed upon completion of the SEAD program. The surveys were designed to assess students' motivations for choosing a specialty in medicine, previous surgical experience, as well as perceptions and biases surrounding a surgical career, pre- and post-exposure. SETTING: Undergraduate Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: 30 medical students in the SEAD group, and 29 in the control group. RESULTS: Students' perceptions of the lifestyle, call schedule as a staff or resident, diversity of practice and gender changed significantly following the SEAD program compared to students in the control group. Furthermore, students' perceptions of surgeons as intimidating declined following the 2-week program (p = 0.003), however they were more likely to view surgery as a field requiring physical strength (p = 0.022). Overall, there was no significant change with regards to desire to pursue a career in surgery in the treatment group (p = 0.625) or in the control group (p = 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: Early exposure to surgery through the SEAD program alters student perceptions of surgical specialties, yet it does not significantly influence students to pursue a career in the surgical field. Nonetheless, participation in the SEAD program continues to assist medical students with career decision making.

Development and implementation of a mobile version of the O-SCORE assessment tool and case log for competency-based assessment in urology residency training: An initial assessment of utilization and acceptance among residents and faculty.

INTRODUCTION: In competency-based models of residency training, work-based assessments of residents' technical skills are essential both for providing formative feedback and for assessing surgical competence. The Ottawa Surgical Competency Operating Room Evaluation (O-SCORE) is a previously validated paper-based evaluation tool created to assess a surgical trainees' operative competence. To address some of the barriers to assessment, we developed and implemented a mobile application that combines the O-SCORE with a surgical case log. METHODS: A description of the development implementation process for the mobile O-SCORE and case log is provided. Following implementation, a survey was developed and administered electronically to all faculty and residents within the University of Ottawa's Division of Urology to assess user perceptions and utilization of the application. The survey was administered and data collected via Survey Monkey. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 94%. The majority of residents (94%) reported that it was easy to log cases with the application and 81% felt that it had a positive impact on their training; 75% of faculty were willing or very willing to complete evaluations when assigned and 66% felt that the application had a positive effect on the quality of feedback they provided. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, faculty and residents felt that our mobile O-SCORE application was user-friendly and valuable as both a surgical log and assessment tool. With surgical programs moving towards competency-based models of training and assessment, the O-SCORE mobile application represents a practical electronic surgical log and work-based assessment instrument that can be easily adopted into any surgical training program.

Health Advocacy Competency: Integrating Social Outreach into Surgical Education.

OBJECTIVE: Being a strong health advocate is recognized as being an important part of being a good surgeon. Residency training programs have struggled with teaching health advocacy beyond didactic sessions, and in a way that encourages trainees to incorporate changes into their practice. This curriculum development aimed to incorporate reflective practice to encourage patient compassion and advocacy. DESIGN: Community service was incorporated as a mandatory component of a postgraduate surgical training program. Residents participated in a community service activity, and reflected upon their learning with a presentation to their peers. PARTICIPANTS: Mandatory advocacy curriculum for all 67 first and second year surgical residents. Sixty-four residents chose to participate in a community service activity. Forty-six residents completed year end evaluations on the curriculum. RESULTS: Seventy percent of outreach activities were medically related, and 30% nonmedical. Most residents felt that the amount of work required to complete this project was reasonable (90%), and learned from their experiences (76%). Residents who participated in medically related projects self-described greater learning from their activity (93%), and from watching their peer presentations (79%). These trainees were also more likely to alter their patient management based on their experiences (68%). Trainees who participated in nonmedically related outreach projects were less likely to self-reflect learning from their experiences. Despite mandatory teaching in health advocacy, trainees are often unaware of this teaching within their curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: A mandatory outreach project in residency can encourage trainees to reflect on their volunteer activities as a physician and how it impacts their patient's health. Academic departments should try to encourage volunteerism within their trainees by providing opportunities for residents to participate in outreach activities related to their specialty.

Learning environment: assessing resident experience.

BACKGROUND: Given their essential role in developing professional identity, academic institutions now require formal assessment of the learning environment (LE). We describe the experience of introducing a novel and practical tool in postgraduate programmes. The Learning Environment for Professionalism (LEP) survey, validated in the undergraduate setting, is relatively short, with 11 questions balanced for positive and negative professionalism behaviours. LEP is anonymous and focused on rotation setting, not an individual, and can be used on an iterative basis. We describe how we implemented the LEP, preliminary results, challenges encountered and suggestions for future application. Academic institutions now require formal assessment of the learning environment METHODS: The study was designed to test the feasibility of introducing the LEP in the postgraduate setting, and to establish the validity and the reliability of the survey. Residents in four programmes completed 187 ratings using LEP at the end of one of 11 rotations. RESULTS: The resident response rate was 87 per cent. Programme and rotation ratings were similar but not identical. All items rated positively (favourably), but displays of altruism tended to have lower ratings (meaning less desirable behaviour was witnessed), as were ratings for derogatory comments (again meaning that less desirable behaviour was witnessed). DISCUSSION: We have shown that the LEP is a feasible and valid tool that can be implemented on an iterative basis to examine the LE. Two LEP questions in particular, regarding derogatory remarks and demonstrating altruism, recorded the lowest scores, and these areas deserve attention at our institution. Implementation in diverse programmes is planned at our teaching hospitals to further assess reliability. This work may influence other postgraduate programmes to introduce this assessment tool.

A New Instrument for Assessing Resident Competence in Surgical Clinic: The Ottawa Clinic Assessment Tool.

BACKGROUND: The shift toward competency-based medical education has created a demand for feasible workplace-based assessment tools. Perhaps, more important than competence to assess an individual patient is the ability to successfully manage a surgical clinic. Trainee performance in clinic is a critical component of learning to manage a surgical practice, yet no assessment tool currently exists to assess daily performance in outpatient clinics for surgery residents. The development of a competency-based assessment tool, the Ottawa Clinic Assessment Tool (OCAT), is described here to address this gap. STUDY DESIGN: A consensus group of experts was gathered to generate dimensions of performance reflective of a competent "generalist" surgeon in clinic. A 6-month pilot study of the OCAT was conducted in orthopedics, general surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology with quantitative and qualitative evidence of validity collected. In all, 2 subsequent feedback sessions and a survey for staff and residents evaluated the OCAT for clarity and utility. RESULTS: The OCAT is a 9-item tool, with a global assessment item and 2 short-answer questions. Among the 2 divisions, 44 staff surgeons completed 132 OCAT assessments of 79 residents. Psychometric data was collected as evidence of validity. Analysis of feedback indicated that the entrustability rating scale was useful for surgeons and residents and that the items could be correlated with individual competencies. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple sources of validity evidence collected in this study demonstrate that the OCAT can measure resident clinic competency in a valid and feasible manner.

Growing the 'SEAD': Expansion of the Surgical Exploration and Discovery Program.

BACKGROUND: The declining popularity of surgical specialties among North American medical students has been attributed partially to limited early exposure and minimal involvement of surgeons in preclerkship education; in response, the Surgical Exploration and Discovery (SEAD) program was developed at the University of Toronto in 2012. SEAD is a 2-week curriculum that provides first-year medical students comprehensive exposure to surgical specialties through operating room observerships, simulation workshops, and career discussions. This study is the first to examine implementation of the SEAD program at another site. METHODS: This prospective cohort study evaluated the effectiveness of the SEAD program in improving surgical knowledge and facilitating career decision making when compared with a control group. In all, 18 students participated in the SEAD program, and 18 students from the same class read only the program's instructional manual; both the groups completed multiple-choice tests and questionnaires at baseline and at completion to assess knowledge acquisition and career-related learning. RESULTS: Both the groups significantly improved their surgical knowledge, but there was no difference between groups. SEAD participants made significantly greater progress in refining their career decisions when compared with the control group; all but one SEAD participant either gained interest in or ruled out a surgical specialty as a potential career choice compared with only 10 of the participants reading the manual only. CONCLUSIONS: The SEAD program provides a meaningful opportunity for medical students to explore surgical careers during preclerkship and to make better-informed career decisions. This expansion demonstrates that the program can be successfully reproduced at another institution.