Presentation Description
Sandika Baboolal1
VS Singaram1
1 University of KwaZulu-Natal
VS Singaram1
1 University of KwaZulu-Natal
Background
Surgical training globally is facing crucial challenges with evolving demands. This study investigated the use and effectiveness of WBAs and their impact on training, feedback, and perioperative teaching in surgical training programs.
Summary
A mixed methods cross-sectional, national electronic survey was conducted with surgical trainees and consultant trainers from all eight major surgical training universities across eleven surgical disciplines in South Africa. 108 surgical trainees and 41 supervising consultant trainers from 11 surgical disciplines across eight surgical training universities responded to the survey.
Results
The most significant educational gap identified by all the respondents was indequate perioperative feedback. A third of the respondents were currently using WBAs. Within the group using WBA, these trainees and trainers had a better rating for the general quality of surgical feedback than those who did not use WBAs (p=0.02). They also had a better rating for the general quality of feedback given to trainees on their skills and competence (p=0.04) and a higher rating for trainee supervision (p=0.01) and the specialist training program overall (p=0.01). The group using WBA also had a higher rating for the assessment of competencies such as the trainee as an effective communicator(p<0.01) and collaborator (p=0.04).
Discussion and Conclusion:
We found that the use of WBAs enhanced the quality and effectiveness of feedback in surgical training programs. We also found that the use of WBA enhances perioperative teaching and learning and improves the assessment of relational competencies. This was also associated with high ratings for the quality of trainee supervision. Faculty and trainee development, enhancement of the trainee-trainer relationship, and integrating iterative stakeholder feedback could help realize the full potential of WBAs to augment surgical training across disciplines.
Take home message
WBAs enhances perioperative teaching and learning and improves the quality and effectiveness of feedback between trainees and trainers.