Global standardizations of Basic and Advanced Principles courses

The rollout of the Basic and Advanced Principles Course framework lead to the implementation of globally standardized contents for these educational activities. The content of these courses is now systematically based on clear competencies. The Basic Principles Course targets the resident level, while the Advanced Principles Course focuses on the surgeon at the beginning of their practice. To account for regional variances, the chair of any Basic or Advanced Principles Course can adapt the content to meet particular local or regional needs.

 

New fellowship system introduced

In 2014, the new fellowship system was launched for the 2015 fellows. In the new system, selection and placement of the fellows are now decisions of the country councils and the regional boards (previously, this was a centralized matter). In a first step, the country councils select the fellowship applicant from their country. The regional fellowship coordinators then make the final decision about fellows from their own region, and place all incoming fellows from other regions according to their wishes and capacity of the host centers. This new system empowers the regions to select and promote their high potentials.

For the first time, there are now objective and transparent criteria for fellowship host centers. All host centers have had to re-apply, and more than a hundred have already been (re-) certified. Starting with the 2016 fellowships, fellows will only be placed in centers fulfilling the new criteria.

 

To complete the relaunch of the fellowship system, a second phase is now under way. This part of modernizing the system will include an online assessment and tracking system for fellows, and the evaluation of host centers. Together with the AOTrauma Community Development Commission, a plan will be developed to retain and engage fellows and also help to identify new talents.

 

Faculty development evolves further

Putting on high-quality education events requires qualified faculty. The number of faculty development programs in 2014 has increased globally, showing the great interest of all regions to further educate their faculty. The program most often held was the Faculty Education Program (FEP), which trains faculty on the different teaching methods of AO through hands-on practice. Additionally, a new program was launched last year, the Chairperson Training Program (CTP), which prepares more experienced faculty members to chair a template-based AO course (such as the Basic or Advanced Principles Course).

Besides teaching and chairing, coaching is another important part of the faculty development in the AO. In 2014, 30 surgeons attended the Coaching Program, where they improved their feedback-giving skills and learned how to train new coaches in their respective regions. At those AO courses where coaching is provided the faculty members receive direct and constructive feedback from a trained coach on their strengths and weaknesses, and receive suggestions for improving their lectures, small group discussions, and instructions at practical tables.

 

Expectations for 2015

In 2015, we expect to continue—if not surpass—our trend of educational innovations and improvements. This year, Foot and Ankle and Pediatrics curricula will be launched globally, including core and optional content for each course. To ensure the success of this rollout, faculty support packages for these courses will be created to provide you with lectures, cases for the small group discussions, information about the practical exercises, and course outlines and educational plan templates.

 

To optimizing our distance learning education options, we will commence to work on the Surgery Reference module on Pediatrics. Four new modules of AOTrauma STaRT will be launched, and three more are currently in production.

 

Course reviews and optimizations

The project redefining assessment (of faculty) and evaluation (of courses) will continue and be globally implemented. Another current strategic project aims at developing measurements for assessing the real impact of education on surgeons' practice and patient care.

 

A new initiative will commence this year with the goal of developing an educational plan for community surgeons. The first step will be a needs analysis in order to gather information for the development of a competency-based curriculum.

 

The ORP group has completed the framework for the ORP Basic Principles Course, and will continue its work on “Clinical Skills Modules” to train ORPs at Point of Contact in their own hospitals.

 

Changes at the Davos Courses

The Davos Courses 2014 experienced changes aimed at increasing academic quality, enhancing the networking possibilities for participants and faculty, and fostering the AO spirit. Based on the feedback from last year, the plan for this year’s Davos Courses has been adapted to further improve this AO flagship event. New modules will be introduced to the Current Concepts Masters Courses, and the time for working on anatomical specimens has been extended. The synergy between the courses and the AO Spirit events has been greatly improved, which will enable AO to offer more interesting and exciting events.

 

I look forward to working closely with all of our esteemed colleagues over the next months, in cocreating as well as enhancing our course offerings.

 

Kodi Kojima

 

Chair, AOTrauma Education Commission