A Fecal MicroRNA Signature by Small RNA Sequencing Accurately Distinguishes Colorectal Cancers: Results From a Multicenter Study.

Background & Aims: Fecal tests currently used for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening show limited accuracy in detecting early tumors or precancerous lesions. In this respect, we comprehensively evaluated stool microRNA (miRNA) profiles as biomarkers for noninvasive CRC diagnosis.

Methods: A total of 1273 small RNA sequencing experiments were performed in multiple biospecimens.

The DIAMOND portal: An innovative platform for sharing translational research workforce training and assessment resources.

Although several initiatives have produced core competency domains for training the translational science workforce, training resources to help clinical research professionals advance these skills reside primarily within local departments or institutions. The Development, Implementation, and AssessMent of Novel Training in Domain (DIAMOND) project was designed to make this training more readily and publicly available. DIAMOND includes a digital portal to catalog publicly available educational resources and an ePortfolio to document professional development.

Student Satisfaction With Blackboard-Style Videos.

Blackboard-style videos with simple drawings illustrating concepts have become immensely popular in recent years. However, there has been no published research evaluating their efficacy in nursing education. This pilot study evaluates the use of blackboard-style videos in an online pathophysiology course.

Simulation-based learning: From theory to practice.

Comments on the article, ""Stimulating Reflective Practice Using Collaborative Reflective Training in Breaking Bad News Simulations," by Kim, Hernandez, Lavery, and Denmark (see record 2016-18380-001). Kim et al. are applauded for engaging and supporting the development of simulation-based education, and for their efforts to create an interprofessional learning environment.

Exploring the Content of Intraoperative Teaching.

Introduction: Much teaching to surgical residents takes place in the operating room (OR). The explicit content of what is taught in the OR, however, has not previously been described. This study investigated the content of what is taught in the OR, specifically during laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCs), for which a cognitive task analysis (CTA), explicitly delineating individual steps, was available in the literature.

Surgeons' Leadership Styles and Team Behavior in the Operating Room.

Background: The importance of leadership is recognized in surgery, but the specific impact of leadership style on team behavior is not well understood. In other industries, leadership is a well-characterized construct. One dominant theory proposes that transactional (task-focused) leaders achieve minimum standards and transformational (team-oriented) leaders inspire performance beyond expectations.

Interprofessional simulation to improve safety in the epilepsy monitoring unit.

Objective: Patient safety is critical for epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs). Effective training is important for educating all personnel, including residents and nurses who frequently cover these units. We performed a needs assessment and developed a simulation-based team training curriculum employing actual EMU sentinel events to train neurology resident-nurse interprofessional teams to maximize effective responses to high-acuity events.

Pilot testing of a model for insurer-driven, large-scale multicenter simulation training for operating room teams.

Objective: To test the feasibility of implementing a standardized teamwork training program with full operating room teams in multiple institutions, driven by malpractice insurer support and incentives.

Background: Failures in intraoperative teamwork are among the leading causes of preventable patient injury and death in surgical patients. Teamwork training, particularly using simulation, can be an effective intervention but is difficult to scale.

Utilizing a novel tool for the comprehensive assessment of resident operative performance.

Purpose: A mechanism for more effective and comprehensive assessment of surgical residents' performance in the operating room (OR) is needed, especially in light of the new requirements issued by the American Board of Surgery. Furthermore, there is an increased awareness that assessments need to be more meaningful by including not only procedure-specific and general technical skills, but also nontechnical skills (NOTECHS), such as teamwork and communication skills. Our aims were to develop a methodology and create a tool that comprehensively assesses residents' operative performance.

How to recruit, retain, and reap the rewards of working with PhD/EdD educators in surgery.

Background: PhD and EdD educators in departments of surgery have and are increasingly becoming valuable colleagues. Professional educators typically assist chairpersons and program directors by positively impacting the education, research, and service missions.

Objective: The purpose of this article is 3-fold: (1) to identify ways of finding prospective PhD/EdD educators, (2) to recognize ways to work with educators in a complimentary way so the educator and directors mutually benefit, and (3) to identify various ways departments and programs can benefit from employing a professional educator.

Assessing the effectiveness of surgical skills laboratories: a national survey.

Introduction: Surgical skills laboratories have gained widespread use in surgery residency training. Although the availability of simulators and skills laboratories has expanded, little is known about their use and effect on residency training.

Methods: An online survey consisting of 18 questions was distributed to all members of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery.

Using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination to test adherence to Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goal--associated behaviors.

Background: A study was conducted at a tertiary care academic medical center to assess a simulation-based, single-station Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) designed to evaluate intern trainees' familiarity with and adherence to behaviors associated with Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals and The Joint Commission Universal Protocol for Preventing Wrong Site, Wrong Procedure, Wrong Person Surgery.

Method: Subjects were interns, from all disciplines, completing basic skills training during intern orientation. The OSCE scenario was designed to assess 13 behaviors associated with four National Patient Safety Goals (1, 2, 3, and 7) from 2009 and 2010 and the Universal Protocol.

Residents can successfully teach basic surgical skills in the simulation center.

Objectives: Basic surgical skills are frequently taught to surgical interns in simulation centers. Faculty recruitment for teaching of these sessions can be difficult. The goal of this study was to determine whether senior surgical residents can effectively teach basic surgical skills to provide an alternative to faculty-led instruction.

Assessing physician leadership styles: application of the situational leadership model to transitions in patient acuity.

Background: The situational leadership model suggests that an effective leader adapts leadership style depending on the followers' level of competency.

Purpose: We assessed the applicability and reliability of the situational leadership model when observing residents in simulated hospital floor-based scenarios.

Methods: Resident teams engaged in clinical simulated scenarios.

Protecting patients from an unsafe system: the etiology and recovery of intraoperative deviations in care.

Objective: To understand the etiology and resolution of unanticipated events in the operating room (OR).

Background: The majority of surgical adverse events occur intraoperatively. The OR represents a complex, high-risk system.

Impact of online education on intern behaviour around joint commission national patient safety goals: a randomised trial.

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness of two types of online learning methodologies for improving the patient-safety behaviours mandated in the Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG).

Methods: This randomised controlled trial was conducted in 2010 at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston USA. Incoming interns were randomised to either receive an online Spaced Education (SE) programme consisting of cases and questions that reinforce over time, or a programme consisting of an online slide show followed by a quiz (SQ).

Master surgeons' operative teaching philosophies: a qualitative analysis of parallels to learning theory.

Objectives: Practicing within the Halstedian model of surgical education, academic surgeons serve dual roles as physicians to their patients and educators of their trainees. Despite this significant responsibility, few surgeons receive formal training in educational theory to inform their practice. The goal of this work was to gain an understanding of how master surgeons approach teaching uncommon and highly complex operations and to determine the educational constructs that frame their teaching philosophies and approaches.

Deconstructing intraoperative communication failures.

Background: Communication failure is a common contributor to adverse events. We sought to characterize communication failures during complex operations.

Methods: We video recorded and transcribed six complex operations, representing 22 h of patient care.

Utilization of a cognitive task analysis for laparoscopic appendectomy to identify differentiated intraoperative teaching objectives.

Background: Experts become automated when performing surgery, making it difficult to teach complex procedures to trainees. Cognitive task analysis (CTA) enables experts to articulate operative steps and cognitive decisions in complex procedures such as laparoscopic appendectomy, which can then be used to identify central teaching points.

Methods: Three local surgeon experts in laparoscopic appendectomy were interviewed using critical decision method-based CTA methodology.

A low-fidelity total abdominal hysterectomy teaching model for obstetrics and gynecology residents.

Introduction: The objective is to develop a low-fidelity total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) model for resident training with the purpose to improve residents' knowledge of anatomy, instruments, instrument handling, suture selection, and steps of a TAH.

Methods: A TAH model was created using products purchased from a crafts store. Obstetrics and gynecology residents (second-year residents and fourth-year residents) were subjected to a lecture followed by a simulated TAH.

Postgame analysis: using video-based coaching for continuous professional development.

Background: The surgical learning curve persists for years after training, yet existing continuing medical education activities targeting this are limited. We describe a pilot study of a scalable video-based intervention, providing individualized feedback on intraoperative performance.

Study Design: Four complex operations performed by surgeons of varying experience--a chief resident accompanied by the operating senior surgeon, a surgeon with less than 10 years in practice, another with 20 to 30 years in practice, and a surgeon with more than 30 years of experience--were video recorded.

Feasibility and impact of a case-based palliative care workshop for general surgery residents.

Background: The American Board of Surgery has emphasized that palliative care education should be included in surgical training. The few formal curricula for teaching palliative care, although effective, are time-intensive and have low longitudinal participation rates. The aim of this project was to design a feasible and effective palliative care intervention for general surgery residency training.

War stories: a qualitative analysis of narrative teaching strategies in the operating room.

Background: "War stories" are commonplace in surgical education, yet little is known about their purpose, construct, or use in the education of trainees.

Methods: Ten complex operations were videotaped and audiotaped. Narrative stories were analyzed using grounded theory to identify emergent themes in both the types of stories being told and the teaching objectives they illustrated.