Journal of surgical education
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The objectives for this study are as follows: (1) to determine whether a weekly educational program for surgical residents resulted in an improvement in 5-year first-time pass rates on the ABS qualifying (QE), certifying (CE), and combined (QE/CE) examinations at our institution and (2) to determine a minimum ABSITE threshold for predicting ABS pass rates. ⋯ An educational program of weekly assigned reading, followed by weekly examinations prepared and administered by the PD, resulted in an increase in the 5-year first-time pass rates on the QE, CE, and combined QE/CE. An ABSITE score less than the 30th percentile, or scoring less than the 35th percentile more than once during residency, identified a group at significantly increased risk of failing the QE. Programs that seek to increase the ABS examinations passage rates should consider instituting this type of program.
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To identify the learning needs of faculty members who are not perceived by residents as outstanding teachers in the operating room. ⋯ Resident perceptions of operating room teaching by faculty surgeons are strongly associated with overall perceptions of the surgeon and with perceptions of specific teaching behaviors exhibited in the operating room. Regression analysis suggests that approximately 76% of the variability in resident evaluations of operating room teaching may be associated with the extent to which a surgeon demonstrates a positive attitude toward teaching, remains calm and courteous, and provides a "hands on" learning experience. Faculty development efforts aimed at operating room teaching that focus on reinforcing or modifying these behaviors may contribute to improved overall perceptions of faculty by residents.
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The first year of surgical training sometimes includes marginally educational or service-related tasks with limited direct interactions with faculty. We instituted a prototype rotation to address the changing needs and expectations of our intern class. This study was designed to evaluate the new rotation 17 months after it was implemented. ⋯ Changing program requirements, time restrictions, public scrutiny, and increasing awareness for quality of life all obligate a paradigm shift in surgical education. Our outpatient rotation is logistically simple and rewarding both for residents and faculty.
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Concern has been voiced that general surgery residents who train at institutions that also offer advanced laparoscopic fellowships may receive inadequate advanced laparoscopic operative experience. The purpose of our study was to compare the operative experience of general surgery residents who graduated from our institution before initiation of an advanced laparoscopic fellowship with the experience of those who graduated after the fellowship began. ⋯ General surgery residents did not experience a reduction in the total number of basic and nonbariatric advanced laparoscopic cases with the addition of an advanced laparoscopic fellowship, nor did they perform fewer cases during the chief year. As the result of a cooperative venture between the surgery residency and fellowship directors as well as an expansion of the total number of laparoscopic cases performed at our institution because of changes in clinical practice, surgery residents reported an increase in the number of laparoscopic cases while a successful fellowship was established.
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We developed and instituted a laparoscopic skills curriculum based on a virtual reality simulator, LapSim (Surgical Science, Göteborg, Sweden). Our goal was to improve basic skills in our residents. The hypothesis of this study is that performance in our course will differentiate levels of experience in the training program, establishing construct validity for our curriculum. ⋯ Individual performance in our curriculum correlates with the level of training for many drills, which establishes construct validity for this curriculum. Noncontributory drills may need to be revised or removed from the curriculum. Successful completion of this curriculum may lead to improved resident technical performance.