Asynchronous Technical Feedback: A Workshop for Training Surgical Instructors

Asynchronous learning is an efficient method for surgical trainees to gain technical skills by practicing in low-stakes and convenient settings. Effective asynchronous learning requires feedback. Prior work has highlighted the need to train surgical instructors in providing asynchronous technical feedback, as this involves unique skills related to giving feedback on learners' videos. While many existing curricula focus on optimal feedback practices, there remains a gap with regard to asynchronous technical feedback materials.

Following Kern's six-step approach to curriculum development, we developed a 60-minute workshop, for participants across multiple contexts, on best practices for effective asynchronous technical feedback. We conducted a pilot workshop and then iteratively adjusted the flow and materials for subsequent workshop sessions. We followed survey design principles to create a postworkshop questionnaire evaluating how well the workshop addressed three of the educational objectives.

Forty-six participants attended four iterations of the workshop across three cities. Seven participants attended the pilot session of the workshop, and 39 participants joined the subsequent workshops. Of these 39 participants, 33 (85%) completed the questionnaire. Twenty-eight (85%) of 33 participants indicated that they could state a barrier to providing technical feedback after the workshop, while 30 (91%) of 33 could provide a situation in which to use asynchronous technical feedback. Twenty-seven (82%) of 33 could state a way in which to improve the quality of asynchronous technical feedback.

Educators may use these materials to equip instructors with tools for effectively giving learners the feedback needed for asynchronous technical skill acquisition.