PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Peter J.M. Ceponis AU - Denise Chan AU - Richard S. Boorman AU - Carol Hutchison AU - Nicholas G.H. Mohtadi TI - A randomized pilot validation of educational measures in teaching shoulder arthroscopy to surgical residents DP - 2007 Oct 01 TA - Canadian Journal of Surgery PG - 387--393 VI - 50 IP - 5 4099 - http://canjsurg.ca/content/50/5/387.short 4100 - http://canjsurg.ca/content/50/5/387.full SO - CAN J SURG2007 Oct 01; 50 AB - Background: Injuries to the shoulder joint commonly require the attention of an orthopedic surgeon. Shoulder arthroscopy plays an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and repair of shoulder pathology; however, the most effective manner in which to teach orthopedic residents fundamental knowledge of diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy before entering the operating room is unclear. We aimed to compare the existing cadaver-based teaching of diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy knowledge with a method that combines model- and video-based teaching to orthopedic surgery residents in a randomized pilot trial.Methods: A composite (model/video teaching) method was designed, using prepared teaching videos and the commercially available ALEX shoulder arthroscopy model. First- and second-year orthopedic surgery residents from the University of Calgary were consented, surveyed for their arthroscopy experience and randomized to either cadaver or composite teaching. Subjects wrote a pretest before their teaching session and a posttest afterwards to assess their knowledge of diagnostic arthroscopy. The tests were multiple choice, containing text and pictorial-based questions. The posttest was modified to minimize recall bias. Subjects were also surveyed for their comments regarding the teaching sessions.Results: Nine of 10 subjects increased their test scores after the teaching sessions, with 4 of 5 in the cadaver-based and 5 of 5 in the composite groups. There were no differences between the teaching groups on their mean pre- or posttest scores. The composite group, but not the cadaver-based group, had a statistically significant increase in posttest scores. When the text- and pictorial-based question sections were analyzed separately, both groups significantly improved their mean text-based score, whereas only the composite group increased their mean pictorial-based questions score. Surveying the residents elicited positive comments regarding both manners of teaching.Conclusion: This pilot trial suggests that a composite teaching curriculum is at least as effective as a cadaver-based environment for teaching orthopedic surgery residents fundamental knowledge of diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy.