Skip to main content
RACS ASC 2024

Mixed-methods evaluation of undergraduate paediatric surgical workshops in Australia

Poster

Presentation Description

Institution: Monash University - VIC, Australia

Background: Remote and virtual teaching have been increasingly used in medical education, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our paediatric surgical program for fourth-year medical students, initiated pre-pandemic to address access inequalities in surgical education, gained renewed relevance. This study evaluates the program's efficacy through a mixed-methods approach. Methods: Workshops were delivered in three modalities: a pilot hybrid workshop, and a remote workshop over either one or two days. Polling software (PollEv) created an interactive learning environment. The evaluation included pre- and post-workshop questionnaires. Questionnaires assessed students’ confidence levels in intended learning objectives (ILOs), individual educational components and delivery using 10-point Likert scales and free text responses. Analysis included descriptive statistics, inferential tests (p < 0.05 being significant), and thematic analysis of free text responses. Results: A total of 16 workshops (2020-2023) were delivered with 1 pilot hybrid workshop, 8 remote two-day workshops, and 7 remote one day workshops. A total of 1071 students attended, with an average of 70 students per workshop, spanning Metropolitan (89%), Rural (4%), and International campuses (7%). A statistically significant increase in all self-rated confidences relating to the ILOs was noted, p < 0.0001. The overall presenter ratings significantly increased each year, p < 0.0001. Three major themes emerged: heterogeneity in attitudes, learner engagement, and equitable access to a psychologically safe workshop. Conclusion: We demonstrated that the virtual remote workshops delivered were effective and identified areas of importance for fourth-year medical students.

Speakers

Authors

Authors

Mr Tanay Bapna - , Dr Marijke Mitchell - , Dr Maurizio Pacilli - , A/Prof Ramesh Nataraja -