Maximizing Plastic Surgery Education Impact: Lessons from Resident Learning Styles and Experiential Learning Theory

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Plastic Surgery

Background:

• Surgical residents often prefer hands-on learning, but specific data for plastic surgery is lacking.
• Understanding resident learning styles is crucial for effective curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the learning styles of plastic surgery residents.
• To identify trends that can inform plastic surgery residency curriculum design.

Main Methods:

• The Kolb Learning Style Index v. 3.1 was used to assess learning styles.
• Plastic surgery residents across all training levels at three programs participated.
• The index categorizes individuals into converging, accommodating, assimilating, or diverging learning styles.

Main Results:

• Plastic surgery residents showed a mix of learning styles: converging (38%), accommodating (24%), diverging (20%), and assimilating (16%).
• A significant majority (64%) preferred active experimentation, indicating a strong inclination towards hands-on learning.
• One resident presented a balanced style between converging and accommodating.

Conclusions:

• Plastic surgery residents display varied learning styles, differing from other surgical specialties where one style often predominates.
• Despite diverse styles, a strong preference for active experimentation (hands-on learning) is evident in plastic surgery residents.
• Educators should balance didactic and practical training to cater to all learning styles in plastic surgery residency programs.