Highlights
- •Residents who practice self-regulated learning display traits that are associated with perceived improvement in OR learning opportunities and experience
- •Residents who communicate their specific goals of the procedure, especially after discussing their vulnerabilities with parts of the case, are more likely to obtain control of the case
- •Residents who can narrate their thought process intraoperatively, and demonstrate comfort with the procedure by thinking ahead in the case, maintain control
- •When residents reflect on cases, via dictating operative notes or other means, they are able to identify better their successes, weaknesses, and failures.
- •Residents who prepare for surgical cases in part by reflecting on prior experiences are able to set specific goals for the procedure.
- •When allowed to safely struggle, residents feel they have the best educational experience possible in the OR
Abstract
Background
Few studies examine how residents can optimize their educational experience in the
OR on their terms. This study aimed to examine residents’ perceptions of how learners
can maximize their education in the OR.
Method
Using constructivist grounded theory methodology, the authors conducted focus groups
with general surgery residents, PGY1-5, followed by semi-structured interviews with
attending surgeons from a single, academic medical center. Constant comparison was
used to identify themes and explore their relationships. Theoretical sampling was
used until saturation was achieved.
Results
Residents and attendings participated. Two phases of OR learning were identified,
intra-operative and inter-operative. Characters that made optimized learning included
control, struggling, and reflection. Residents who practiced self-reflection with
their experiences, and were able to articulate this awareness to attendings, felt
the OR was an ideal learning environment. Attendings echoed similar findings.
Conclusions
Providing residents with a method of maximizing OR learning is critical to postgraduate
clinical education. Currently, observation passively morphs into active learning and
eventually independent operating in the OR. However, residents who practice self-regulated
learning, and are able to discuss their educational goals with attendings, seem to
find the OR a better learning environment and progress to independence more quickly.
This was echoed by practicing attendings. Providing residents with a generalizable,
self-regulated learning framework specific to operative educational experiences could
maximize learning potential and expedite resident progression in the OR.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 19, 2021
Accepted:
January 18,
2021
Received in revised form:
December 14,
2020
Received:
September 15,
2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
