Real Time, Remote, and Recorded: Medical Student Experiences with Smart Glasses in Obstetrical Simulation.

OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic generated the need for a teaching tool for enhancing remote education and evaluation of medical trainees. Smart glasses are being explored as a hands-free teaching tool for teleconferencing with hands-on demonstrations in addition to livestreaming capability. We wanted to understand the efficacy of such virtual teaching techniques in teaching procedural and surgical skills. METHODS: Medical students in their Obstetrics and Gynecology clerkship at our medical school were recruited to participate in a virtual demonstration of normal vaginal delivery. A birthing simulator and smart glasses were used to livestream the simulated delivery, and a previously published checklist was used to show the steps for conducting routine vaginal delivery. A follow-up electronic survey assessed the clarity of the video and audio feed, level of satisfaction, positive and constructive feedback, and an error-identification exercise with a smart glass-recorded video. RESULTS: A total of 62 students participated; 98% of them reported that the audio and video feeds were clear and 95% of the students reported being extremely satisfied or satisfied with the teaching tool. Students could identify on average three out of four errors. Students believed the streaming to be "interactive" and a "most effective remote learning" tool, but expressed that it did not "take the place of clinical skills learning." CONCLUSIONS: The combination of smart glass technology and simulation can be a useful new tool for clinical faculty who simultaneously deliver care to patients and teach. Continued research is needed to explore the use of smart glass technology into livestreaming or surgeries and examinations, with consideration for patient privacy concerns and remote assessment of students.

Association of research timing with surgery resident perceptions of operative autonomy and satisfaction: A multi-institutional study.

BACKGROUND: General surgery residents commonly engage in research years after the second (Post-postgraduate year 2 [PostPGY2]) or third (PostPGY3) clinical training year. The impact of dedicated research training timing on training experience is unknown. Our aim was to examine the progression of residents' perceived meaningful operative autonomy and evaluate career satisfaction, in relation to research timing. METHODS: Categorical surgery residents with 2-year research requirements were surveyed regarding perceived autonomy for laparoscopic appendectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and right hemicolectomy and satisfaction with the impact of dedicated research training on professional development. Meaningful operative autonomy was defined as Zwisch scores ≥3 (passive help or supervision only). RESULTS: Residents from 17 programs participated (n = 233, 30.6%); 48% were PostPGY2. PostPGY3 residents were more likely to perceive meaningful operative autonomy when starting dedicated research training (laparoscopic appendectomy: 98% vs 74%, P < .001; laparoscopic cholecystectomy: 87% vs 48%, P < .001; right hemicolectomy: 27% vs 3%, P < .001). Meaningful operative autonomy declined during dedicated research training but was still higher for PostPGY3 residents for laparoscopic appendectomy (84% vs 42%, P < .001) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (68% vs 30%, P < .001). By PGY4, PostPGY2 residents reported rates of meaningful operative autonomy comparable to PostPGY3 through training completion. A higher proportion of PostPGY3 residents reported dedicated research training satisfaction (90% vs 78%, P = .01). Training at PostPGY3 programs (odds ratio, 3.06, 95% confidence interval, 1.38-6.80) and postresearch training stage (compared with preresearch residents, odds ratio, 3.25, 95% confidence interval, 1.06-10.0) were independently associated with satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Significant differences existed in the progression of perceived operative autonomy and dedicated research training satisfaction between PostPGY2 and PostPGY3 residents. These results could help surgical educators make individualized decisions regarding research timing to promote surgical skill acquisition and resident well-being.

Nanomaterial categorization for assessing risk potential to facilitate regulatory decision-making.

For nanotechnology to meet its potential as a game-changing and sustainable technology, it is important to ensure that the engineered nanomaterials and nanoenabled products that gain entry to the marketplace are safe and effective. Tools and methods are needed for regulatory purposes to allow rapid material categorization according to human health and environmental risk potential, so that materials of high concern can be targeted for additional scrutiny, while material categories that pose the least risk can receive expedited review. Using carbon nanotubes as an example, we discuss how data from alternative testing strategies can be used to facilitate engineered nanomaterial categorization according to risk potential and how such an approach could facilitate regulatory decision-making in the future.