Neurosurgical Education in Andean Latin America: Neuroanatomy Knowledge Scarcity and How to Address It

This study assessed the deficit in neuroanatomy knowledge among neurosurgical trainees in Andean Latin America and tested a novel neuroanatomy curriculum using nontraditional educational resources.

A total of 132 neurosurgical trainees with up to 5 years of experience in Andean Latin America participated in a 2-day neurosurgical anatomy course covering both supratentorial and infratentorial areas. Seventy-seven participants attended in person, with 37 receiving lectures only and 40 participating in both lectures and hands-on sessions. A subgroup of each cohort was granted access to a website featuring neurosurgical anatomy video lectures in Spanish. Fifty-five additional participants had access only to the neurosurgical anatomy website resource. Participants completed neurosurgical anatomy surveys immediately and at 3-month follow-up. The scores were categorized into excellence levels (subpar, basic, advanced, and connoisseur).

Forty-nine of 77 (64%) course participants showed improvement in anatomic knowledge. Participants who received hands-on training were more likely to improve their scores (35 of 40; 88%) compared with those without hands-on training (15 of 37; 41%; difference 47%, 95% CI: 28.1%-65.8%, P < .01). Among all participants with website access (n = 94), 63 (67%) improved their tier of excellence compared with 10 of 38 (26%) without website access (difference 41%, 95% CI: 23.8%-57.6%, P < .01). Continued website access was an independent predictor of success (r = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.60%-0.78%, P < .001).

This study underscores the need to enhance neurosurgical education in the Andean region. Combining online resources with hands-on training holds promise in addressing neuroanatomy knowledge deficits. Tailored educational programs can mitigate educational disparities in global neurosurgery.