Live surgical workshops: Balancing patient care and professional development
Seema Singhal1, Aarthi S Jayraj2, Neena Malhotra1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
The National Medical Journal of India
|June 4, 2026
Summary
Live surgical workshops (LSWs) offer significant surgical education potential but require addressing ethical and safety concerns. Further quantitative studies are needed to validate audience benefits and patient outcomes from these LSWs.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Training
- Continuing Professional Development
Background:
- Disseminating surgical expertise is crucial for the surgical community.
- Live surgical workshops (LSWs) are key initiatives for surgeon skill enhancement across specialties.
- Technological advancements facilitate global LSWs, often featured in major scientific meetings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a comprehensive literature review on Live Surgical Workshops (LSWs).
- To outline perceived benefits and risks associated with LSWs.
- To address controversies and ethical considerations surrounding LSWs, including a public interest litigation in India.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of existing literature on Live Surgical Workshops (LSWs).
- Identification of studies detailing perceived benefits and risks.
- Analysis of qualitative data on surgeon and attendee perspectives versus quantitative patient safety data.
Main Results:
- LSWs are perceived by surgeons as having immense educational value.
- Concerns exist regarding audience benefit, ethics, and safety in LSWs.
- Current evidence predominantly relies on qualitative surgeon/attendee perspectives, lacking objective patient safety and outcome data.
Conclusions:
- LSWs hold significant educational potential for surgical skill dissemination.
- Addressing ethical and safety concerns is paramount for LSWs.
- Further objective, quantitative research is essential to evaluate patient safety and outcomes in LSWs, moving beyond anecdotal evidence.
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