Virtual Surgical Skills Training in a High School Summer Program

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted components of traditional education with shifts toward virtual platforms. This report describes the virtual approach to basic surgical skills training during a high school program in the summers of 2020 and 2021. METHODS: Two 2-week sessions were held by Zoom (Zoom Video Communications) with 99 students in 2020 and 198 students in 2021. Each student was sent surgical supplies and instruments. Interactive lectures were held each morning, and basic surgical skills instruction was provided each afternoon. After the session, survey links were distributed to students to complete an anonymous 37-item questionnaire regarding surgical skills confidence, simulation kit satisfaction, and technical difficulties. RESULTS: Of the 297 students, 270 (90.9%) completed the questionnaire, including 91 (91.9%) in 2020 and 179 (90.4%) in 2021. On a scale of 1 (fair) to 5 (excellent), students in 2020 and 2021 reported similar confidence in instrument handling (4-5: 90.0% vs 86.3%; P = .38), suturing skin (4-5: 88.9% vs 82.8%; P = .19), and thoracic aorta suturing (4-5: 73.3% vs 73.6%; P = .97). Students reported greater confidence in 2020 in knot tying (4-5: 98.9% vs 87.9%; P = .002), coronary vessel suturing (4-5: 82.2% vs 65.5%; P < .001), and valve model suturing (4-5: 68.5% vs 50.3%; P = .005) than students in 2021. Students had similar satisfaction rates with the program (extremely or somewhat satisfied: 92.3% vs 86.0%; p = .51) between 2020 and 2021. CONCLUSIONS: Virtual education carries the potential for basic surgical skills training for a more widespread audience with less access to direct surgical education. Further research is needed to optimize teaching finer surgical skills.