Journal of surgical education
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Comparative Study
Teaching and assessing technical proficiency in surgical subspecialty fellowships.
To determine how programs are teaching and assessing procedural skills, and their perceived success. ⋯ Training in procedural proficiency was viewed as successful by both program directors and graduates. Dialogue with, assessment by, and feedback from faculty were frequently used and most valued; stressing the importance of the facilitator role of faculty in the education of the trainee. These findings provide guidance for the development of newer methods of teaching and assessment.
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Comparative Study
Implications of current resident work-hour guidelines on the future practice of surgery in Canada.
Work-hour restrictions have had a profound impact on surgical training. However, little is known of how work-hour restrictions may affect the future practice patterns of current surgical residents. The purpose of this study is to compare the anticipated career practice patterns of surgical residents who are training within an environment of work-hour restrictions with the current practice of faculty surgeons. ⋯ Current surgical residents expect to adopt components of resident work-hour guidelines into their surgical practices after completing their residency. These practice patterns will have surgical workforce implications and might require larger surgical groups and reconsideration of resource allocation.
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Comparative Study
The effect and durability of a pregraduation boot cAMP on the confidence of senior medical student entering surgical residencies.
Medical school does not specifically prepare students for surgical internship. Preinternship courses are known to increase confidence in multiple key areas. We examined the immediate effect and durability of effect of a surgical pregraduation preparatory course or "boot camp" on provider confidence in technical and medical management skills. ⋯ Boot camps can improve self-confidence in young doctors in many areas of perioperative care before enrolling in surgical residency. The effect is most durable in high risk, infrequently performed technical tasks. Future studies are under design to examine the impact of boot camps on the "July Effect."
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Comparative Study
Voluntary autonomous simulator based training in minimally invasive surgery, residents' compliance and reflection.
Knot tying and suturing skills in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) differ markedly from those in open surgery. Appropriate MIS training is mandatory before implementation into practice. The Advanced Suturing Course (ASC) is a structured simulator based training course that includes a 6-week autonomous training period at home on a traditional laparoscopic box trainer. Previous research did not demonstrate a significant progress in laparoscopic skills after this training period. This study aims to identify factors determining autonomous training on a laparoscopic box trainer at home. ⋯ Autonomous practice should be structured and inclusive of adequate and sufficient feedback points. A minimally required practice time should be set. An obligatory assessment, including corresponding consequence should be conducted. Compliance herewith may result in increased voluntary (autonomous) simulator based (laparoscopic) training by residents.
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Comparative Study
The utility of the ABS in-training examination (ABSITE) score forms: percent correct and percentile score in the assessment of surgical residents.
The American Board of Surgery (ABS) provides program directors with ABS In-Training Examination (ABSITE) scores in the following forms: Percent correct score and percentile score. It is of interest to note how residency programs utilize the different forms of ABSITE scores in assessment of surgical residents for progression in training. We conducted a survey of program directors to ascertain the present situation. ⋯ ABSITE score is being used as one of the measures to assess residents. Programs need to ensure that an effective remedial process is in place to assist residents with poor performance.