Live surgical education: A perspective from the surgeons who perform it

TY - JOUR

T1 - Live surgical education

T2 - A perspective from the surgeons who perform it

AU - Khan, Shahid A. A.

AU - Chang, Richard T. M.

AU - Ahmed, Kamran

AU - Knoll, Thomas

AU - van Velthoven, Roland

AU - Challacombe, Ben

AU - Dasgupta, Prokar

AU - Rane, Abhay

PY - 2014/7

Y1 - 2014/7

N2 - ObjectiveTo evaluate the experience and views regarding live surgical broadcasts (LSB) among European urologists attending the European Association of Urology Robotic Urology Society (ERUS) congress in September 2012.Materials and MethodsAn anonymous survey was distributed via email inviting the participants of the ERUS congress with experience of LSB to share their opinions about LSB.The outcomes measured included; personal experience of LSB, levels of anxiety faced and the perceived surgical quality.The impact of factors, such as communication/team-working, travel fatigue and lack of specific equipment were also evaluated.ResultsIn all, 106 surgeons responded with 98 (92.5%) reporting personal experience of LSB; 6.5% respondents noted 'significant anxiety' increasing to 19.4% when performing surgery away from home (P <0.001).Surgical quality was perceived as 'slightly worse' and 'significantly worse' by 16.1% and 2.2%, which deteriorated further to 23.9% and 3.3% respectively in a 'foreign' environment (P = 0.005).In all, 10.9% of surgeons 'always' brought their own surgical team compared with 37% relying on their host institution; 2.4% raised significant concerns with their team and 18.8% encountered significantly more technical difficulties.Lack of specific equipment (10.3%), language difficulties (6.2%) and jet lag (7.3%) were other significant factors reported.In all, 75% of surgeons perceived the audience wanted a slick demonstration; however, 52.2% and 42.4% respectively also reported the audience wished the surgeon to struggle or manage a complication during a LSB.ConclusionsA small proportion of surgeons had significantly heightened anxiety levels and lower perceived performance during LSB, which in a 'foreign' environment seemed to affect a greater proportion of surgeons.Various factors appear to impact surgical performance raising concerns about the appropriateness of unregulated LSB as a teaching method.To mitigate these concerns, surgeons' performing live surgery feel that the operation needs to be well planned using appropriate equipment; with many considering bringing their own team or operating from home on a video link.

AB - ObjectiveTo evaluate the experience and views regarding live surgical broadcasts (LSB) among European urologists attending the European Association of Urology Robotic Urology Society (ERUS) congress in September 2012.Materials and MethodsAn anonymous survey was distributed via email inviting the participants of the ERUS congress with experience of LSB to share their opinions about LSB.The outcomes measured included; personal experience of LSB, levels of anxiety faced and the perceived surgical quality.The impact of factors, such as communication/team-working, travel fatigue and lack of specific equipment were also evaluated.ResultsIn all, 106 surgeons responded with 98 (92.5%) reporting personal experience of LSB; 6.5% respondents noted 'significant anxiety' increasing to 19.4% when performing surgery away from home (P <0.001).Surgical quality was perceived as 'slightly worse' and 'significantly worse' by 16.1% and 2.2%, which deteriorated further to 23.9% and 3.3% respectively in a 'foreign' environment (P = 0.005).In all, 10.9% of surgeons 'always' brought their own surgical team compared with 37% relying on their host institution; 2.4% raised significant concerns with their team and 18.8% encountered significantly more technical difficulties.Lack of specific equipment (10.3%), language difficulties (6.2%) and jet lag (7.3%) were other significant factors reported.In all, 75% of surgeons perceived the audience wanted a slick demonstration; however, 52.2% and 42.4% respectively also reported the audience wished the surgeon to struggle or manage a complication during a LSB.ConclusionsA small proportion of surgeons had significantly heightened anxiety levels and lower perceived performance during LSB, which in a 'foreign' environment seemed to affect a greater proportion of surgeons.Various factors appear to impact surgical performance raising concerns about the appropriateness of unregulated LSB as a teaching method.To mitigate these concerns, surgeons' performing live surgery feel that the operation needs to be well planned using appropriate equipment; with many considering bringing their own team or operating from home on a video link.

KW - surgical education

KW - live-surgical broadcast

KW - training

KW - mentoring

KW - live case demonstration

KW - NONTECHNICAL SKILLS

KW - DEMONSTRATIONS

KW - UROLOGY

KW - STRESS

U2 - 10.1111/bju.12283

DO - 10.1111/bju.12283

M3 - Article

C2 - 24053660

SN - 1464-4096

VL - 114

SP - 151

EP - 158

JO - BJU International

JF - BJU International

IS - 1

ER -