A short course for surgical supervisors and trainers: effecting behavioural change

The Supervisors and Trainers for the Surgical Education and Training (SAT SET) course was developed to assist surgical trainers in Australia and New Zealand with the transition to the new Surgical Education and Training framework. The aim of this study was to assess whether attendance at the course translated into behavioural change in surgical trainers and supervisors.

An online survey tool was distributed to registered participants in the SAT SET Course. Demographic data, attitudes towards the course and perceived behavioural change since attendance was measured. Data was collected using a 5-point Likert Scale with room for occasional free text comments.

A 35% response rate was achieved for the study. Most thought the course was well designed, easy to follow and met its key aims. The majority felt more comfortable with the use of the new in-training assessment tools and had gained a more structured approach to analyse their trainees' performance. Most felt their roles as supervisors had been improved by attending the SAT SET course. Informal feedback to trainees had increased; however, structured feedback rates remained low. Fears that the new system would increase the workload on supervisors did not seem to have materialized. Of the respondents, 43% considered that objective assessment of trainees had improved without fear of legal implications.

The SAT SET course appears to have been well received and has helped better inform participants of their roles and has resulted in an appreciable positive behavioural change in their practice as surgical supervisors.