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Ko SH, Park KB, Cha JR, Jeon YD, Kim SG. Virtual platform to tackle challenges associated with lifelong medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2024; 24:697. [PMID: 38926822 PMCID: PMC11210001 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05686-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic, large in-person conferences were mostly cancelled to avoid further disease contagion. Physicians continued to demand changes in form to enable participation in lifelong medical education programs, and the traditional model of in-person conferences needed to be rethought. As such, a regional branch of the national orthopedic association tried to move in-person conferences onto a virtual platform. This study aimed to investigate the effect of transitioning large in-person conferences to a virtual model during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially examining any differences in the attendance of each type of conference. METHODS In this retrospective observational study, 776 participants in virtual conferences and 575 participants in in-person conferences were analyzed. Institutions were classified based on their location in a central city and two neighboring cities. Affiliated institutions were divided into resident training hospitals, general hospitals, and private clinics. The change in the number and proportion of participants between the virtual conference year and in-person conference year was calculated. RESULTS The number of virtual conference participants was significantly greater than that of in-person conference participants (P = 0.01). Although the highest number of participants was from central city for both years, the proportion of participants from the two neighboring cities increased. Although the proportion of participants from resident training hospitals and private clinics decreased, the proportion of participants from general hospitals increased. CONCLUSIONS We implemented a virtual platform to tackle challenges associated with lifelong medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual platforms can be helpful for organizations that must hold regular lifelong medical education programs for members spread across a wide geographic region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Hun Ko
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 25 Daehakbyeongwon-ro, Dong-Gu, Ulsan, 44033, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki-Bong Park
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 25 Daehakbyeongwon-ro, Dong-Gu, Ulsan, 44033, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jae-Ryong Cha
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 25 Daehakbyeongwon-ro, Dong-Gu, Ulsan, 44033, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Dae Jeon
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 25 Daehakbyeongwon-ro, Dong-Gu, Ulsan, 44033, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Gon Kim
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 25 Daehakbyeongwon-ro, Dong-Gu, Ulsan, 44033, Republic of Korea
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Khajuria A, Chen WF, Huang JJ, Heredero S, Hong JP, Wei FC, Chang TNJ. Dialogue with the Giants of Microsurgery: Professor Fu-Chan Wei and Professor Joon Pio Hong. Arch Plast Surg 2023; 50:529-532. [PMID: 37808333 PMCID: PMC10556321 DOI: 10.1055/a-2113-3364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ankur Khajuria
- Kellogg College, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wei F. Chen
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Jung Ju Huang
- Division of Reconstructive Microsurgery, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center; Chang Gung Medical College and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Susana Heredero
- UGC de Cirugía Maxilofacial, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Joon-Pio Hong
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Asan Medical Centre, Seoul, Korea
| | - Fu-Chan Wei
- Division of Reconstructive Microsurgery, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center; Chang Gung Medical College and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Tommy Nai-Jen Chang
- Division of Reconstructive Microsurgery, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center; Chang Gung Medical College and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Founder, International Microsurgery Club, Taiwan
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Čebron U, AbdelRahman M, Kwon SH, Lee CH, Hsu ATW, Huang JJ, Chen LWY, Sung CWH, Chang TNJ. The Preferred Reconstructive Choice for a Lower Third Tibial Exposure Defect: An Online Survey of 356 Microsurgeons. J Reconstr Microsurg 2023; 39:540-548. [PMID: 36577496 DOI: 10.1055/a-2003-8885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the most challenging yet common areas in reconstructive surgery is the closure of defects in the lower leg. Surgeons can choose from several reconstructive options including local and free flaps. The aim of this study was to understand the reconstructive strategy for lower leg defects of different microsurgeons around the world by harnessing the power of social media and online questionnaires. METHODS A case of a patient with an exposed plate over distal tibial fracture was presented via an online questionnaire distributed on various social media platforms. A total of 369 international microsurgeons replied with their preferred treatment choice. The data were analyzed according to geographic area, microsurgical training, seniority, and subspecialty. RESULTS Among all the respondents (n = 369), 64% would have opted for a free flap reconstruction, while the remaining 36% would have opted for a local/pedicle flap. In the group that would have opted for a free flap, 63% would reconstruct the defect using a free fasciocutaneous flap, while the remaining 37% would have used a free muscle flap. In the local flap group, 60% would have used a local perforator while 30% would have chosen a conventional local flap. While North American and European microsurgeons had a clear preference toward free flaps, Asian, Middle Eastern, African, and South American surgeons were evenly divided between local and free flaps. CONCLUSION In this study, we provide a current global overview of the reconstructive strategies for a lower limb with skin defect and bone or prosthesis exposure. We hope that this will be able to help global microsurgeons and patients worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urška Čebron
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive, Helios Clinic Emil von Behring, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Medical College, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Mohamed AbdelRahman
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Medical College, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, James Cook University Hospitals NHS Trust, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
| | - Soo-Ha Kwon
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Medical College, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Che-Hsiung Lee
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Medical College, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Angela Ting-Wei Hsu
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Medical College, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jung-Ju Huang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Medical College, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Lisa Wen-Yu Chen
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Medical College, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Cheyenne Wei-Hsuan Sung
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Medical College, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Tommy Nai-Jen Chang
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center, Chang Gung Medical College, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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Siotos C, Ferraro J, Horen SR, Siotou K, Lopez J, Dorafshar AH. Plastic Surgeons and their Financial Relationships with the Industry in the era of COVID: Insights from the Physician Payments Sunshine Act. Aesthetic Plast Surg 2022; 46:3111-3116. [PMID: 35595920 PMCID: PMC9122547 DOI: 10.1007/s00266-022-02944-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physician relationships with industry and subsequent financial implications has not been previously assessed. The aim of this study is to compare pre- and post-COVID-19 payments between industry and medical providers for all plastic surgeons. METHODS Payment information was collected for the 2019 and 2020 reporting periods from the Open Payments Program (OPP) database for plastic surgeons and plastic surgeon subspecialists. An analysis was performed of trends and comparison of payments for each year for all plastic surgeons and each subspecialty cohort. RESULTS For all plastic surgeons, there was a decrease in industry payments between 2019 and 2020 (- 30.5%). All plastic surgery subspecialties had a decrease in payments with general plastic and reconstructive surgery affected the most (- 56%) and craniofacial surgery affected the least (- 9%). Payments for almost all categories for plastic surgeons decreased along with compensation as faculty or as speakers. Total charitable contributions and grant payments increased by 61 and 273%, respectively. CONCLUSION Analysis of industry-physician payments available through the Sunshine Act shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted industry payments to plastic surgery and its subspecialties. While this study demonstrates the economic impact of the current pandemic, only time will tell whether these trends will persist in the coming years. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Charalampos Siotos
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| | - Jennifer Ferraro
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| | - Sydney R. Horen
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
| | - Kalliopi Siotou
- School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Joseph Lopez
- Division of Head/Neck Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065 USA
| | - Amir H. Dorafshar
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60607 USA
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