Virtual Neurosurgery Education for Medical Students without Home Residency Programs: A Survey of 2020 Virtual Neurosurgery Training Camp Attendees

Michael W Kortz; Nathan A Shlobin; Ryan E Radwanski; Monica Mureb; Anthony M DiGiorgio

doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2021.09.117

Virtual Neurosurgery Education for Medical Students without Home Residency Programs: A Survey of 2020 Virtual Neurosurgery Training Camp Attendees

World Neurosurg. 2022 Jan:157:e148-e155. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.09.117. Epub 2021 Oct 4.

Authors

Michael W Kortz¹, Nathan A Shlobin², Ryan E Radwanski³, Monica Mureb⁴, Anthony M DiGiorgio⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA. Electronic address: michael.kortz@brainandspinegroup.org.
² Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA.
³ Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA.
⁴ Department of Neurosurgery, New York Medical College and Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, New York, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA.
⁵ Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA.

PMID: 34619405
DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.09.117

Abstract

Objective: To examine the perceived effectiveness of the virtual neurosurgery training camps (VNTC) among medical students with (HP) and without (NHP) home neurosurgery residency programs.

Methods: A survey assessing demographics, baseline interests, and ratings of usefulness and interest of programming was sent to attendees after the VNTC. Ratings were quantified on modified 7-point Likert scales. Ratings were compared between attendees HP and NHP neurosurgery residency programs using Wilcoxon sum-rank or χ² tests. A P value of 0.05 determined significance.

Results: There were 119 respondents, with 80 (67.2%) HP and 39 (32.8%) NHP students. Differences were observed between the groups for medical school type (P = 0.002), highest degree achieved (P = 0.030), previous participation in a Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center event (P = 0.004), having a neurosurgery interest group (P < 0.001), and primary reason for VNTC attendance (P = 0.028). Increased interest in peripheral nerve neurosurgery was greater for the NHP (P = 0.047) but not neurosurgery or other subspecialties. A significant difference in usefulness of the different VNTC sessions was observed (P = 0.002), whereas none was seen in willingness to pursue neurosurgery (P = 0.33), likelihood of taking a year off (P = 0.44), and preparedness for subinternships (P = 0.57) or applications (P = 0.77).

Conclusions: The 2020 VNTC benefited both HPO and NHP medical students, but there were differences in perceived usefulness of virtual education. Future initiatives should continue to be tailored toward disadvantaged students.

Keywords: Home program; Neurosurgery education; Neurosurgery residency; Virtual medical student education; Virtual neurosurgery training camp; Webinar.

MeSH terms

Education, Distance / methods*
Education, Medical / methods*
Humans
Internship and Residency / methods*
Neurosurgery / education
Neurosurgery / methods
Neurosurgical Procedures / education*
Students, Medical*
Surveys and Questionnaires*