Spine Surgery Fellowships in Mexico: Web Content and Accessibility

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Neurosurgery & Orthopedics

Background:

• Spine surgery fellowship programs are emerging in Mexico.
• Limited information exists on program requirements, structure, and curriculum.
• This lack of data hinders informed decisions for potential applicants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the online presence and information availability of spine surgery fellowship programs in Mexico.
• To identify deficiencies in online data for prospective national and international applicants.

Main Methods:

• A systematic web search identified official websites of Mexican spine fellowship programs.
• Evaluated 25 programs for 13 key elements relevant to applicants.
• Conducted between December 2023 and January 2024 using specific search keywords.

Main Results:

• Twenty-five spine surgery fellowship programs were identified, primarily affiliated with the Autonomous University of Mexico.
• Contact information was available for 72% of programs, but program chair details were found for only 16%.
• 88% of programs were easily located online, though comprehensive information was often lacking.

Conclusions:

• Many spine surgery training programs in Mexico lack detailed online information.
• Programs often rely on reputation over online presence, indicating a need for improved digital marketing.
• Enhancing program visibility is vital for promoting the specialty and surgeon training.