Learner Preferences and Perceptions of Virtual Hand Surgery Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic

PURPOSE: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many postgraduate medical education lectures and conferences have been moved to a virtual platform. Questions remain regarding the effectiveness of virtual education, what types of educational offerings can be transitioned to a virtual format, and what types of curricula should still take place in person. METHODS: This study surveyed trainees from the United States who participated in a single institution’s hand surgery virtual flipped classroom curriculum of 6 week-long modules. Demographics, premodule and postmodule achieved levels of learning based on Bloom’s taxonomy, technology usage, and preferences were surveyed. RESULTS: Of the 65 participants, 41 (63.1%) responded to the survey. Trainees included hand surgery fellows (27/41 [65.9%]), orthopedic surgery residents (11/41[26.8%]), and plastic surgery residents (3/41 [7.3%]). On average, most trainees read, viewed, and participated in more than half of the articles (28/41 [68.3%]), electronic videos (31/41 [75.6%]), and conferences (35/41 [85.4%]) per week. The median level of achieved learning increased from “I can apply” to “I can analyze” for all modules. Self-directed learning was preferred for basic facts and knowledge (26/41 [63.4%]) and faculty-directed learning was preferred to review and practice advanced concepts (34/41 [82.9%]). The participants perceived benefits of the virtual curriculum to include increased scheduling flexibility (8/41[19.5%]), expert opinions (7/41 [17.1%]), and diversity of educational formats (3/41 [7.3%]). The perceived drawbacks included decreased interaction (8/41 [19.5%]), technical difficulties (6/41 [14.6%]), excessive detail (3/41 [7.3%]), and single-institution bias (2/41 [4.9%]). CONCLUSIONS: The flipped virtual classroom model is an effective and preferred method of instruction for trainees. Trainees achieved a higher level of learning following the completion of each week-long module. Considerations for the implementation of a virtual curriculum include content quality, quantity, and reducing single-institution bias. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The implementation of virtual learning can enhance hand surgery education for the modern learner.