The use of videotaped lectures in surgical oncology fellowship education

A video library of surgical oncology topics was initiated in 1991 as an educational forum for fellows in a surgical oncology training program. First-year and second-year fellows presented formal medical lectures on specific surgical oncology topics that were based on a comprehensive literature review. An abstract of the discussion, a list of references, and a copy of the presented slides were submitted at the time of presentation of each lecture. The lectures were videotaped in front of an audience made up of faculty and fellows of the Department of Surgical Oncology, The videotapes were subsequently edited to incorporate the presented slides, and these versions were shown separately to allow critique of presentation style and content by the faculty and the fellows within the Department. Nineteen videotaped presentations from academic years 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 were evaluated. These videotaped lectures are an informational resource, and, of equal importance, they provide an assessible record for self-analysis of lecturing technique and effectiveness.