Informed Consent for Academic Surgeons: A Curriculum-Based Update

The principles of consent are evolving but remain an important part of the surgeon-patient relationship. The goal of this course was a concise, contemporary review of the principles of informed consent that would be favorably received by academic surgeons.

The curriculum consisted of ethicohistorical and legal principles, current requirements, and new consent developments. An anonymous, voluntary evaluation tool was used to assess strengths and opportunities for improvement. A short postcourse quiz was developed to assess understanding.

Eighty-five percent of the surgery department faculty participated. Evaluations were overwhelmingly positive, all elements having weighted averages of greater than 4.5 on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). Furthermore, a majority of respondents for the posttest got the answers correct for all five questions asked on the postcourse quiz.

A proper understanding of informed consent remains critically important in the practice of surgery. This short course updating surgeons on informed consent quantitatively confirms the favorable reception of this approach in terms of attendance and satisfaction, as well as understanding of the material.