Procedural Education for Family Medicine Residents: Innovative Independent Suturing Training With Asynchronous...

Suture skills are important for family physicians, and they are best learned during residency. To increase the residents' readiness for clinical procedures, we developed a self-directed online suturing training program that targets knowledge and suturing techniques with video submission, evaluation, and feedback. The program was built to address residents' difficulties in performing obstetric laceration repairs, although the content is also pertinent to office-based skin procedures.

First-year residents were assigned an online suturing training program during their surgical rotation. Assessments included a pre- and posttraining knowledge test and survey evaluating participants' comfort level with suturing and their perception of the training program's value. Residents submitted videos of their suturing, which were graded by one expert preceptor, who provided coaching and feedback. Changes in test scores and comfort ratings pre- to posttraining were analyzed using paired Student t tests.

Between 2018 and 2023, 64 residents were enrolled. Forty-seven (73%) submitted all expected videos, and 39 (61%) completed all components, including tests and surveys. Knowledge test and comfort level scores improved after the training (p < .001). The majority (>91%) of residents reported improved knowledge, suturing skill, and comfort level, and would recommend the program to their peers.

This novel self-directed suturing training utilizing simulation, video capture, and asynchronous faculty coaching and feedback was an effective tool to support learning of suturing skills. This training allowed for the assessment of each resident's suture skills with minimal time burden on the preceptor to prepare each resident for clinical procedures.