Peer coaching to teach faculty surgeons an advanced laparoscopic skill: A randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Medical Simulation
• Laparoscopic Surgery

Background:

• Coaching shows promise in resident training, but faculty learning needs differ.
• Peer coaching's impact on practicing surgeons' technical skills is understudied.
• Faculty surgeons require tailored methods for acquiring new surgical techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a peer coaching program for teaching laparoscopic suturing skills.
• To assess if peer coaching enhances technical proficiency in faculty surgeons.
• To compare peer coaching with conventional training for learning novel laparoscopic procedures.

Main Methods:

• Faculty surgeons were randomized into conventional training or peer coaching groups.
• Both groups practiced laparoscopic suturing on a box trainer, with pre- and post-intervention assessments.
• The peer coaching group received additional structured peer coaching sessions.

Main Results:

• Initially, no significant difference in technical skills was observed between groups.
• The peer coaching group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in technical performance post-intervention (P < .01).
• Technical proficiency improved in the peer coaching group but not in the conventional training group.

Conclusions:

• A structured peer coaching program effectively facilitates faculty surgeons' learning of novel procedures.
• Peer coaching represents a viable strategy for improving technical skills in practicing surgeons.
• This study highlights the value of peer-to-peer learning in advanced surgical training.