Advancing reconstructive surgical education in sub-Saharan Africa: Outcomes of an online modular curriculum

The adoption of online learning has helped to address training gaps in resource constrained regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, where access to specialized medical and surgical education is limited. We assessed the outcomes of a set of online plastic and reconstructive surgery modules developed for trainees across East, Central, and Southern Africa.

This modular plastic surgery course was launched in March 2023 for the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) fellowship of plastic surgery candidates. The online curriculum comprises 26 modules, each of which includes a pre-test, video lectures, reference slides, local case scenarios, and a post-test. Engagement metrics (module interactions and page views) and test scores were tracked over time. User satisfaction was assessed via feedback surveys, and knowledge improvement was gauged by comparing pre- and post-test scores.

A total of 103 surgical trainees participated in the curriculum since its launch, with 68 individuals still actively enrolled at the time of analysis. Platform engagement has increased over time with more than 29,000 cumulative module interactions and 45,000 cumulative page views recorded by month 30. The post-test scores improved significantly compared to pre-test scores across all modules (*p < 0.01).

This online curriculum was associated with trainee engagement, improved knowledge, and positive user feedback, supporting its feasibility and usefulness as an educational resource in this setting.