Individual didactic sessions or group lectures for teaching the foot and ankle to orthopaedic residents

Trepman, Elly; Nihal, Aneel; Williams, Kyle Lee; Cheang, Mary; Embil, John M.

doi:10.1016/j.fas.2006.12.002

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Volume 13, Issue 2 , Pages 69-75, 2007

Individual didactic sessions or group lectures for teaching the foot and ankle to orthopaedic residents

Elly Trepman
- Department of Surgery, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital, Grand Rapids, MN, United States
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Corresponding author at: MS673-520 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3A 1R9. Tel.: +1 204 787 4654.
Aneel Nihal
- Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull, East Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Kyle Lee Williams
- College of Education, Seattle University, Seattle, WA, United States
Mary Cheang
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Statistical Consulting Unit, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
John M. Embil
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Abstract

Background

The relative efficacy of individual didactic sessions or group lectures in teaching the foot and ankle to orthopaedic residents is unknown.

Method

Ten fourth year (R4) orthopaedic residents received individual didactic teaching sessions during a 1-month foot and ankle rotation, and 12 fifth year (R5) orthopaedic residents who had no foot and ankle rotation received a series of group lectures. Foot and ankle knowledge level was evaluated before and after the teaching programs with multiple choice tests.

Results

The average test score for all residents was significantly improved from before to after the teaching programs (all residents: pre-test, 51±11%; post-test, 66±8%; P<0.0001). There was no difference between the R4 and R5 resident groups in average pre-test score or post-test score. The improvement in test scores from the pre-test to the post-test was similar for the R4 and R5 resident groups.

Conclusions

Individual didactic sessions and group lectures were equally effective in encouraging learning and improving knowledge level of the foot and ankle. The key factors in significantly improving knowledge of the foot and ankle were the presence of a formal teaching program to stimulate learning and the availability of an active Foot and Ankle Service with dedicated attending foot and ankle subspecialist surgeons.

Keywords: Education, Surgery, Residency, Core curriculum