The Implications of Virtual Learning on Plastic Surgery Education: A National Survey of Plastic Surgery Residents and Fellows
Background:. Graduate medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the shift to a “virtual learning” format in many aspects of training. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceived strengths and weaknesses of virtual learning compared with a conventional, in-person format. Met...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open |
| Online Access: | http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000005373 |
| _version_ | 1797449488193814528 |
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| author | Jagmeet S. Arora, BS Jason T. Pham, BS Leonardo Alaniz, BBA Nima Khoshab, MD Cathy J. Tang, MD |
| author_facet | Jagmeet S. Arora, BS Jason T. Pham, BS Leonardo Alaniz, BBA Nima Khoshab, MD Cathy J. Tang, MD |
| author_sort | Jagmeet S. Arora, BS |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background:. Graduate medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the shift to a “virtual learning” format in many aspects of training. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceived strengths and weaknesses of virtual learning compared with a conventional, in-person format.
Methods:. A 45-question survey was sent to independent and integrated plastic surgery residents and postresidency fellows nationally. The survey collected basic demographic information and evaluated three general categories of virtual learning in comparison to an in-person format: (1) time, (2) learning proficiency, and (3) collaboration.
Results:. In total, 108 surveys were submitted from 48 different training programs. Participants reported that virtual learning was more efficient (mean: 3.9), conducive to more free time (mean: 3.9), and a more comfortable medium for expressing opinions (mean: 3.5) and asking questions (mean: 3.6) compared with an in-person format. When stratified between training levels, the PGY 1–3 group reported more difficulties in exam preparedness (P = 0.05), motivation to study (P = 0.01) and less time-saving benefits (P = 0.05) with a virtual format than the PGY 4+ group. Lastly, respondents who had higher self-reported levels of multitasking were found to have lower mean Likert scale scores on all questions related to “time,” “learning proficiency,” and “collaboration” (P < 0.01).
Conclusions:. A virtual and in-person hybrid approach toward plastic surgery education may be beneficial for encouraging flexibility. Our results demonstrate impairment with collaboration and learning proficiency with a virtual format, especially with increased multitasking, but increased comfort with expressing opinions and asking questions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:26:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-63c620dec2204941b6cb3ef8ae59235d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2169-7574 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:26:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-63c620dec2204941b6cb3ef8ae59235d2023-11-28T07:10:12ZengWolters KluwerPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open2169-75742023-11-011111e537310.1097/GOX.0000000000005373202311000-00003The Implications of Virtual Learning on Plastic Surgery Education: A National Survey of Plastic Surgery Residents and FellowsJagmeet S. Arora, BS0Jason T. Pham, BS1Leonardo Alaniz, BBA2Nima Khoshab, MD3Cathy J. Tang, MD4From the * School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, Calif.† Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Va.From the * School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, Calif.‡ Department of Plastic Surgery, University of California Irvine, Orange, Calif.‡ Department of Plastic Surgery, University of California Irvine, Orange, Calif.Background:. Graduate medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the shift to a “virtual learning” format in many aspects of training. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceived strengths and weaknesses of virtual learning compared with a conventional, in-person format. Methods:. A 45-question survey was sent to independent and integrated plastic surgery residents and postresidency fellows nationally. The survey collected basic demographic information and evaluated three general categories of virtual learning in comparison to an in-person format: (1) time, (2) learning proficiency, and (3) collaboration. Results:. In total, 108 surveys were submitted from 48 different training programs. Participants reported that virtual learning was more efficient (mean: 3.9), conducive to more free time (mean: 3.9), and a more comfortable medium for expressing opinions (mean: 3.5) and asking questions (mean: 3.6) compared with an in-person format. When stratified between training levels, the PGY 1–3 group reported more difficulties in exam preparedness (P = 0.05), motivation to study (P = 0.01) and less time-saving benefits (P = 0.05) with a virtual format than the PGY 4+ group. Lastly, respondents who had higher self-reported levels of multitasking were found to have lower mean Likert scale scores on all questions related to “time,” “learning proficiency,” and “collaboration” (P < 0.01). Conclusions:. A virtual and in-person hybrid approach toward plastic surgery education may be beneficial for encouraging flexibility. Our results demonstrate impairment with collaboration and learning proficiency with a virtual format, especially with increased multitasking, but increased comfort with expressing opinions and asking questions.http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000005373 |
| spellingShingle | Jagmeet S. Arora, BS Jason T. Pham, BS Leonardo Alaniz, BBA Nima Khoshab, MD Cathy J. Tang, MD The Implications of Virtual Learning on Plastic Surgery Education: A National Survey of Plastic Surgery Residents and Fellows Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open |
| title | The Implications of Virtual Learning on Plastic Surgery Education: A National Survey of Plastic Surgery Residents and Fellows |
| title_full | The Implications of Virtual Learning on Plastic Surgery Education: A National Survey of Plastic Surgery Residents and Fellows |
| title_fullStr | The Implications of Virtual Learning on Plastic Surgery Education: A National Survey of Plastic Surgery Residents and Fellows |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Implications of Virtual Learning on Plastic Surgery Education: A National Survey of Plastic Surgery Residents and Fellows |
| title_short | The Implications of Virtual Learning on Plastic Surgery Education: A National Survey of Plastic Surgery Residents and Fellows |
| title_sort | implications of virtual learning on plastic surgery education a national survey of plastic surgery residents and fellows |
| url | http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000005373 |
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