Curriculum Implementation Task Force
January 1999
Dr. Kron’s committee finalized general platform and development issues to begin tackling the formidable challenge of populating the TSDA Curriculum Outline for resident education. With several pilot projects accomplished and with feedback from residents the Committee has made the following decisions:
- The existing TSDA Curriculum Outline will serve as the matrix for expanded content development.
- Content will be developed by topic, as didactic presentations rather than as case studies.
- Section editors will be chosen and charged with choosing topics and contributors for targeted content areas.
- Development of multimedia content will be new, and the TSDA will hold copyright. All original material will be encouraged, and recycled material will necessitate copyright release from holders.
- “Standard” open-architecture tools for use on the web will be employed. (generic HTML, RealAudio/RealVideo, JPG/GIF graphics, Quicktime 3.0 movies, Microsoft PowerPoint for slide shows).
- A web editor will be chosen to maintain the TSDA site. This person will be available for general education and questions about material format and submission coordination. This person will also interface with CTSNet, the hosting umbrella website.
- Collaboration with the Thoracic Surgery Resident’s Association (TSRA) is anticipated in these development efforts.
Proposal for Contributions of Original Content for the TSDA Curriculum
In order to develop original content based upon the TSDA Curriculum which serves both as a primary educational tool (Web-based, independent learning) and a reusable resource for institution-based education, the following format of submissions is proposed:
Selected directors and other faculty would submit to the TSDA a "lecture" which covers a particular topic of the Curriculum. This lecture will comprise a series of slides (PowerPoint file or actual slides) accompanied by a recording and/or transcript of the speaker's discussion of these slides.
Each lecture will be presented on the TSDA Curriculum Web Site with several options for its viewing and/or utilization.
- The first option will be for the user to run the lecture with accompanying audio and transcript. This may be accomplished by proceeding slide by slide or by running the entire lecture from beginning to end. In this way, independent learning is accomplished by the user while between cases, on call, at home, or whenever.
- Associated with each lecture and even each slide can be links to Medline references, other Internet resources, textbook chapters, boards-based questions, figures, videos, etc. These additional links can be included in the initial lecture submission or added later.
- Another option enables the user to download the presentation to his or her own computer in slide format (PowerPoint) with accompanying transcript. This option enables the lectures to function as a reusable resource for local teaching. Institution-based education may then be accomplished with the slide lecture "as is" or after some modification, giving appropriate acknowledgement to the TSDA.
There are many advantages to this format for development of the TSDA Curriculum. Most faculty have developed various canned" lectures regarding topics important to Thoracic Surgery. With minimal difficulty, these slide-based lectures can be incorporated into the TSDA Curriculum to provide a valuable educational resource with global utility. These lectures can readily be maintained current given the ease of updating, modifying, or adding to them afforded by the Internet.
Another example of this format for TSDA Curriculum development was presented at the meeting. Developed with Dr. Vincent Gott, a multimedia presentation from Johns Hopkins covered the topic of acquired aortic diseases. The other topic will be developed with Dr. Steve Yang that covers Thoracic Neoplasms.
1998 Survey of Residents in Thoracic Surgery (Highlights)
Dr. Richard Shemin
In association with the annual Baxter program for CT Surgery Residents, a survey of 58 current senior residents was conducted. Highlights:
- 2/3 are 2-year programs, with 1.7 residents per program
- each program has 8.8 full-time faculty, 5.7 of whom are assigned to adult cardiac surgery
- programs have an average of 2.5 mandatory conferences per week
- Teaching profiles of current programs include:
- Resident presentations 80%
- Journal Club 60%
- TSDA Curriculum use 55%
- Other sources: Outside speakers, Pulmonary topics, Esophageal topics
Important sources of education (identified and prioritized by residents)
- 4+ OR teaching
- 4+ Bedside teaching
- 3+ Didactic teaching
- 2+ Outpatient teaching
Resident enthusiasm (4-point scale) for educational provisions by their programs
- Journals 3.2
- Internet access 3.2
- CD materials 3.1
- Computer 3.0
- Library 2.8
- Videos 2.7
- Office help 2.6
Conclusions:
The TSDA is on target with its focus on development of computer-based educational resources
Residents do appreciate and have a positive view of teaching offered.
