Neurosurgery resident training using blended learning concepts: course development and participant evaluation.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

• Surgical resident training faces limitations due to work hour restrictions and increased subspecialization.
• Traditional operating room training offers fewer opportunities for focused, goal-oriented practice.
• Training simulators are increasingly adopted to supplement surgical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a two-step blended learning course for surgical residents.
• To combine personalized adaptive electronic learning (e-learning) with simulator training.
• To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of this novel training approach.

Main Methods:

• A blended course was designed with an adaptive e-learning module followed by simulator training.
• Subject matter experts provided clinical information for e-learning module curation.
• Lumbar spine model used for image-guided spinal injection simulator training; assessments adapted from established educational quality tools.

Main Results:

• The blended course was developed rapidly (10 weeks) and rated highly (4.8/5) by participants.
• Adaptive e-learning showed good reception but was rated lower in usefulness and fun than simulator training.
• Participants reported improved conscious competency (32.6%), decreased subconscious incompetency (22.8%), and a 20% subjective skill increase.

Conclusions:

• A blended training course integrating adaptive e-learning and simulator training is feasible and enhances surgical skills.
• Simulator training is perceived as more valuable than theoretical e-learning by surgical trainees.
• Further research is needed to determine the impact of this training on patient care.