Evaluating YouTube Videos for Resident Education in Free Flap Surgery

The ease of access of online videos and the popularity of visual learning have made YouTube a popular educational resource. We analyzed the utility of YouTube videos for graduate medical education about free flap surgery using a cross-sectional study design.

Using the phrases "free flap surgery" and "free flap head and neck," YouTube videos for inclusion were identified. Videos were analyzed by free flap surgeons using Modified DISCERN, Global Quality Score (GQS), and JAMA Benchmark metrics of video quality, educational value, and transparency, respectively. Statistical analysis of video metadata and expert-determined scores was performed.

In total, 44 videos with 517,227 combined views were analyzed. Most videos were intra-operative (63.6%), published by physicians (34.1%) or medical institutions (22.7%), and had health professional target audiences (95.5%). The mean Modified DISCERN score was 15.4/25, with most videos classified as "fair" (54.6%). The mean GQS was 4.17/5 and the mean JAMA Benchmark was 2.7/4. Higher Modified DISCERN scores were significantly associated with health professional target audiences (p = 0.04) and webinars (p = 0.03). Higher GQS was also significantly associated with a health professional target audience (p < 0.01), and higher JAMA scores with YouTube verification (p = 0.04).

Routine YouTube searches may not yield results ideal for resident education in head and neck free flap surgery. While many videos are of good educational value, lower transparency and reliability scores raise concerns of biased information. It is important to consider vetted educational or health care sources for resident surgical education.

Level IV (cross-sectional study).