International cross-sectional survey on the use of webinars in plastic surgery: a move towards a hybrid educational model

BACKGROUND: The novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has catalyzed the development of online educational resources. Webinars provide opportunities for convenient distance-learning and provision of expert lectures, while reducing the financial and practical costs of attending conferences. This cross-sectional survey aims to collect subjective opinion on the usefulness of webinars as an educational platform compared to face-to-face interactions, and whether surgeons and surgeons-in-training want webinars to remain a permanent platform for training and development in the future. METHODS: A free-to-attend online series of international expert lectures on a range of plastic surgery topics was delivered. Attendees were invited to anonymously complete a survey on attitudes towards webinars as an educational platform over a 2-week period. RESULTS: A total of 883 complete responses were collected. Overall webinar attendance increased following the pandemic, with 97.4% of respondents reporting they view webinars for at least 1 h per week following implementation of COVID-19 restrictions. 90.4% respondents indicated that they intend to continue utilizing webinars even once COVID-19 restrictions are eased, and 77.8% stated they learn as much from online webinars as in-person lectures. However, irrespective of training grade, a significant proportion of respondents believe webinars should not replace face-to-face meetings. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that, while face-to-face meetings remain a valued component of education in Plastic Surgery, webinars are a useful adjunct to conventional methods, and may feature more prominently in the educational landscape of the future. Level of evidence: Not gradable.