How hand surgeons learn: a survey on resources for knowledge and information acquisition

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Medical Education
• Knowledge Management

Background:

• Continuous learning is vital for hand surgeons throughout their careers.
• Existing literature lacks detailed descriptions of hand surgeons' preferred educational resources and reading habits.
• Understanding these preferences is crucial for effective knowledge dissemination in hand surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how hand surgeons access and prioritize information for learning and clinical decision-making.
• To identify preferred educational resources and reading habits among European hand surgeons.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous online survey was distributed to European hand surgeons via the Young European Hand Surgeons Committee and FESSH.
• The 28-item questionnaire collected data on demographics, learning resource preferences, reading habits, and multimedia use.
• Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square testing for group comparisons.

Main Results:

• Textbooks are primary resources for learning new topics (49%) and surgical preparation (44%), followed by senior colleagues and journals.
• Online journals (39%) and webinars (13%) are preferred for staying current.
• Residents heavily utilize online resources like Orthobullets (61%) compared to specialists (25%), who subscribe more to journals.

Conclusions:

• Hand surgeons integrate both traditional (textbooks, journals, mentorship) and digital learning resources.
• Digital tools are gaining prominence in hand surgery education.
• Findings provide insights into educational resource utilization across different career stages in hand surgery.