COVID-19 Restrictions Presented Opportunities and Challenges for Plastic Surgery Residents

Perceptions of online surgical-focused learning amongst surgeons during the COVID pandemic: A scoping review 2020-22

INTRODUCTION

During the COVID pandemic many centres adopted e-learning as a tool to adhere to social distancing recommendations while continuing to provide ongoing postgraduate medical education. We aimed to complete this scoping review in order to map experience and perceptions amongst surgeons and surgical trainees to remote learning during the COVID pandemic.

METHODS

Using Arksey and O'Malley's five step model for conducting a scoping review, a systematic search strategy was undertaken across three online databases SCOPUS, MEDLINE and Web of Science. Only original articles in English in the field of postgraduate education in surgery were included.

RESULTS

44 studies were selected for review. Of these 44, 21 were studies of perception of a newly developed e-learning tool/platform. 17 were surveys of surgeon's attitudes towards e-learning during the COVID pandemic. The remaining 6 studies were studies of knowledge or skills acquired through new e-learning, which included a survey of experience. The United States was the most common country of origin with General Surgery the most represented surgical speciality. Response rates across all three study subgroups were on average >60%. Surgeon's experience of e-learning was reported in only positive terms in 86% (n = 38/44) of studies.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper is informative in that it focuses specifically on surgeons' perceptions of a e-learning tools used in addition to skills or knowledge gained. Positive e-learning experience reported in these studies may lead to more blended learning curriculums being developed, deployed and evaluated going forward.

Impact of Virtual Resources and Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Plastic Surgery Residency and Training among Residents in Southern Nigeria

Background

Despite the increased usage of virtual, nonphysical resources for medical education during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, plastic surgical training still suffered adversely in some aspects.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore the overall impact of virtual resources and effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on plastic surgery training among residents in Southern Nigeria.

Materials and Methods

This was a cross-sectional study conducted among senior plastic surgery residents in southern Nigeria using a well-structured online questionnaire carried out over a 3-month period. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software program, version 25.0. Measures were taken to significantly minimise response, answer order, and other survey research errors/bias. A pilot study was done. Consent was obtained from all participants.

Results

A total of 29 plastic surgery residents completed the questionnaire. Mean age was 35.15 years with standard deviation of 6.31. The response rate was 72.5%. According to a majority of the residents, there were no significant changes in the frequency of burn, hand, and facial injury cases during the pandemic; training courses on plastic surgery (44.3%) and operative cases decreased (48.3%), whereas there was a significant increase in intraoperative teaching (27.6%) as well as simulations and conferences (41.4%). Majority of the respondents also alluded to the significant financial and psychological impacts of the pandemic on residents and a significant decline in cases with general anaesthesia as compared with cases with local anaesthesia.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a mixture of significant positive and negative changes in the plastic surgery training of residents.