Leveraging Videoconferencing Technology to Augment Surgical Training During a Pandemic

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Telemedicine

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted surgical residency programs.
• Reduced operative exposure, responsibility, and autonomy hindered resident training and expertise acquisition.
• Physical distancing measures and redeployment limited essential hands-on experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review videoconferencing as a tool for remote surgical education.
• To propose a model for resident training during pandemics.
• To address the impact of reduced operative exposure on surgical trainees.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review was conducted.
• Explored videoconferencing for broadcasting surgical procedures.
• Investigated telecoaching, telesimulation, and remote didactic lectures.

Main Results:

• Videoconferencing provides a multimodal approach for surgical education.
• Audiovisual communication tools augment resident operative experience.
• This strategy mitigates the negative impact of isolation and limited exposure.

Conclusions:

• Videoconferencing is a practical solution for remote surgical training.
• A proposed model can overcome pandemic-related challenges in residency.
• Enhancing operative experience remotely is crucial for surgical expertise.