Arora Jagmeet S, Pham Jason T, Alaniz Leonardo, Khoshab Nima, Tang Cathy J
From the School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, Calif.
Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Va.
Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2023 Nov 3;11(11):e5373. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000005373. eCollection 2023 Nov.
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.
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.
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 ( = 0.05), motivation to study ( = 0.01) and less time-saving benefits ( = 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" ( < 0.01).
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.
在新冠疫情期间，毕业后医学教育在培训的许多方面已转向“虚拟学习”模式。本研究的目的是描述与传统的面对面教学模式相比，虚拟学习的优点和缺点。
向全国独立和综合整形外科住院医师及毕业后研究员发送了一份包含45个问题的调查问卷。该调查收集了基本人口统计学信息，并与面对面教学模式相比，评估了虚拟学习的三个一般类别：（1）时间，（2）学习能力，（3）协作。
总共从48个不同的培训项目中提交了108份调查问卷。参与者报告称，与面对面教学模式相比，虚拟学习效率更高（平均得分：3.9），更有利于有更多自由时间（平均得分：3.9），并且是表达意见（平均得分：3.5）和提问（平均得分：3.6）更舒适的媒介。按培训水平分层时，与4年级及以上住院医师组相比，1-3年级住院医师组在虚拟教学模式下备考（P = 0.05）、学习动力（P = 0.01）方面困难更多，省时效益更少（P = 0.05）。最后，自我报告多任务处理水平较高的受访者在所有与“时间”、“学习能力”和“协作”相关的问题上，李克特量表平均得分较低（P < 0.01）。
整形外科教育采用虚拟与面对面相结合的方法可能有利于提高灵活性。我们的结果表明，虚拟教学模式在协作和学习能力方面存在缺陷，尤其是在多任务处理增加的情况下，但在表达意见和提问方面舒适度更高。
