Journal of surgical education
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Comparative Study
Evaluating Surgical Residents Quickly and Easily Against the Milestones Using Electronic Formative Feedback.
This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of a newly implemented electronic web-based review system created at our institution for evaluating resident performance relative to established milestones. ⋯ Our institutional adoption of QuickNotes into the resident evaluation process has been associated with an overall increased level of satisfaction in the evaluation process by both faculty and residents. The design of QuickNotes facilitates its integration into the resident training environment, as it is web based, easy to use, and has no additional cost over the standard New Innovations subscription. Although it is designed to capture snapshots of trainee behavior and performance, monthly reports through QuickNotes can be used effectively in conjunction with the more traditional end-of-rotation evaluations to show trends, identify areas of strength that should be reinforced, demonstrate areas needing improvement, allow for a more tailored individual education plan to be developed, and permit a more accurate determination of milestone progression.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact of an Interactive Vascular Surgery Web-Based Educational Curriculum on Surgical Trainee Knowledge and Interest.
The surgical council on resident education developed an online competency-based self-study curriculum for general surgery residency trainees. Vascular surgery trainees are yet to have a similarly validated and readily accessible self-study curriculum. We sought to determine the effect of an interactive online vascular surgery curriculum on trainee knowledge and interest in vascular surgery. ⋯ Basic vascular surgery principles can be efficiently introduced through an interactive online curriculum. This type of self-study can improve trainee knowledge, and foster interest in vascular surgery. As in other specialties, a standardized and validated online vascular surgery curriculum should be developed for emerging trainees.
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The purpose of this study is to determine the utility of self-assessment in microsurgical training using a previously validated rating scale. ⋯ Self-assessment using the University of Western Ontario Microsurgical Acquisition/Assessment instrument has good to excellent agreement with preceptor-assessment scores suggesting good interrater reliability. Self-assessment using such tools may, therefore, be used along with preceptor supervision and assessment to potentially improve self-directed learning during these courses.
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Comparative Study
The Value of Clinical Practice in Cadaveric Dissection: Lessons Learned From a Course in Eye and Orbital Anatomy.
To test the hypothesis that there is greater benefit in a dissection-based anatomy course among those participants with clinical experience in the relevant field, and those without. ⋯ The present study supports the hypothesis that the benefits of cadaveric dissection could be maximized during postgraduate surgical training. This has important implications given the trend away from cadaveric dissection in the undergraduate curriculum.
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The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education milestones provide a framework of specific interpersonal and communication skills that surgical trainees should aim to master. However, training and assessment of resident nontechnical skills remains challenging. We aimed to develop and implement a curriculum incorporating interactive learning principles such as group discussion and simulation-based scenarios to formalize instruction in patient-centered communication skills, and to identify best practices when building such a program. ⋯ Our approach using Trauma Survivors Network volunteers as SPs could be reproduced in other institutions with similar programs. Faculty enthusiasm and support is strong, and learner participation is active. Continued focus on patient and family communication skills would enhance patient care for institutions providing such education as well as for institutions where residents continue on in fellowships or begin their surgical practice.