Distance Surgical Mentorship for Ophthalmologists in Northern Peru

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Purpose: To evaluate the quality of live distance surgical mentorship as an alternative way to provide continuing professional development (CPD) to practicing ophthalmologists. An activity which could be particularly beneficial to surgeons in remote locations where CPD is difficult to access. Methods: Orbis paired ophthalmologists from the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (IRO) in Trujillo, Peru and a senior ophthalmologist from Vanderbilt Eye Institute in Tennessee, USA (LW). One week in advance, the Peruvian surgeon sent the mentor patient information confidentially via Cybersight.org, Orbis' telemedicine platform. The mentor reviewed the preoperative information to determine if the case was appropriate for remote guidance and formulated questions to help guide the educational experience. The mentor and mentee also consulted on specific learning objectives. The mentor observed live phacoemulsification surgery over the Internet using audio-visual equipment and Zoom desktop video conferencing software, allowing her to see through the operating microscope in real-time and have constant voice contact with the local surgeon. Post-mentorship a survey was administered to gauge acceptability of the CPD method, as well as their self-assessment on its impact on their skill development. Results: Latency experienced was well within the suggested margin of acceptability and the video quality was broadcast-grade, allowing the mentor to clearly see the anatomy and instrument manipulation. Seven surgeons over four sessions performed twelve phacoemulsification surgeries in Peru, 91.67% of those 12 patients achieved postoperative best corrected visual acuity ≥6/18. Four surgeons completed the survey and 100% agreed or strongly agreed that their objectives had been met and that the CPD had increased their confidence and their surgical skills. The step in the procedure most commonly reported for improvement was nuclear cracking (75% of respondents), followed by hydrodissection, quadrant removal and wound closure (50% each). Conclusions: Distance surgical mentorship in phacoemulsification is an acceptable form of CPD for consultant ophthalmologists. We describe a program with positive user feedback and experiences of improved confidence and microsurgical skill among participants.