Transferring face-to-face sessions to virtual sessions in surgical education: a survey-based assessment of a single academic general surgery program

• Published in: European surgery 2021, Vol.53 (2), p.55-59
• Main Authors: Gonzalez-Urquijo, Mauricio, Gonzalez-Hinojosa, David E., Rojas-Mendez, Javier, Rodarte-Shade, Mario
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdominal Surgery; Cardiac Surgery; General Surgery; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original; Original Article; Surgery; Vascular Surgery
• ISSN: 1682-8631; 1682-4016
• DOI: 10.1007/s10353-021-00691-2

Summary Background The purpose of this survey-based study was to evaluate the implementation of virtual learning in a single academic general surgery program, compared with the well-established face-to-face academic curriculum used before. Methods From April 2020 to the present, virtual sessions were created via Zoom Videos Communications, Inc. (San Jose, CA, USA). A survey composed of 15 questions about the perceived quality and utility of the virtual sessions was developed. The survey was sent out to all general surgery residents of a general surgery program in November of 2020. Results All residents enrolled in the program answered the survey, i.e., 22 (73.3%) men and 8 (26.7%) women with 6 (20.2%) residents per year (PGY 1–PGY 5). Over half of residents ( n  = 17, 56.7%) felt similar academic performance during online sessions when compared to the older model. Perceptions of the level of organization of academic sessions increased during the online model ( n  = 20, 66.7%). Twenty (66.7%) residents agreed it was easier to attend sessions during the online model. Fourteen (46.7%) residents reported their attendance to the sessions increased, and 14 (46.7%) residents would prefer this modality after the pandemic is over, with 8 (26.7%) being neutral about it. Conclusion This study, to our knowledge, is the first to survey general surgery residents about the transition from a face-to-face curriculum to an e‑learning curriculum. The demonstrated effectiveness of the transition from face-to-face academic activities to virtual activities makes it a feasible tool for graduate medical education programs to adjust to a virtual model.