"Influential" Intraoperative Educators and Variability of Teaching Styles.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Academic Medicine

Background:

• Academic surgeons' roles as intraoperative educators vary significantly.
• There is no single universally best approach to surgical teaching.
• Understanding influential surgeons' practices offers insights into effective methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the practices of surgeons recognized by residents as influential educators.
• To identify and categorize effective intraoperative teaching strategies used by academic surgeons.
• To provide a framework for improving surgical supervision and resident learning.

Main Methods:

• Constructivist grounded theory approach.
• Data collection included resident surveys, intraoperative observations, and surgeon interviews.
• Rigour ensured through data triangulation and constant comparison.

Main Results:

• A framework of three overlapping teaching approaches was developed: exacting, empowering, and fostering.
• These approaches differ in resident independence levels and expectations.
• Strategies for balancing supervision, patient care, and trainee obligations were identified.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework can serve as a model for surgical educators.
• Improving knowledge of effective strategies and self-reflection can enhance teaching practices.
• Balancing responsibilities to patients and trainees is crucial for effective surgical education.