Abstract
Background: Currently, in Saudi Arabia, plastic surgery-based education relies heavily on traditional, time-based training models. The objective of this study is to develop a methodology to determine the basic procedural steps for plastic surgery procedures to assist the training and evaluation of evaluators as well.
Aim: The aim of this study was to develop a methodology to determine the basic procedural steps for plastic surgery procedures to assist the training and evaluation of evaluators as well.
Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study. The data was collected using an online questionnaire answered by heads of plastic surgery departments. The sample size in this analysis was 120 individuals. The data was collected and analyzed using SPSS version 22.
Results: Around 31% of the sample think that there is an increasing need to address this deficit in order to meet today's training standards, while 34% think the opposite. Only 27.5% confirmed that there is no formal or objective assessment of technical skills among trainees in plastic surgery, while 35.8% confirmed there is an objective assessment. Around 27% of the sample agree that procedural skills can be assessed during actual care delivery, while 36% have the opposite opinion.
Conclusion: The best curriculum should provide exposure to core principles of plastic surgery while demonstrating competence through performance of index procedures. Accordingly, it is recommended that exploring the role and potential benefits of competency-based medical education in plastic surgery residency training is timely.