TITLE:
A Holistic Approach to Enhance FRCS General Surgery Examination Training Using Adult Learning Model: A Non-Profit Initiative
AUTHORS:
Rahul Winayak, Sanjay V. Joshi, Goran Ahmed, Anne O’Neill, Ishy Gurung, Muhammad Nadeem, Muhammed Alwahid, Sudeendra Doddi, Manas Kumar Dube, Ahmad Mirza, Rishabha D. Sharma
KEYWORDS:
Simulation-Based Learning (SBL), Adult Learning, Mindfulness Tools, FRCS Examination, Interleaving
JOURNAL NAME:
Surgical Science,
Vol.14 No.8,
August
25,
2023
ABSTRACT: Objectives: To evaluate the impact of adult learning
and simulation-based learning (SBL) on surgical trainees’ learning experiences
and Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) Section 2 General
Surgery examination pass rate. Methods: This was a cross-sequential study involving 148 surgical candidates
(72 UK trainees, 75 non-UK trainees) who had attended our revision course
(Phoenix FRCS Course) from June 2017 until 2023. Each course comprised a
two-day weekend preparation with dedicated sections for clinical, viva, and
academic reading, incorporating SBL as its key learning style. We maintained a
prospective database of candidate and course details, examination results, and
feedback since the course inception. Results: We found that 97% of candidates passed the
FRCS examination after their first attempt. The course was attended once by 89%
of candidates, and only 3 of the 148 candidates exhausted all four attempts at
the examination. Candidate feedback for the course and its style of learning
was positive, with simulation-based table viva sessions and virtual clinical
sessions proving the most popular learning sessions (95% and 80% of candidates
attending courses run in December 2017, April 2018, and May 2021 rated them “Excellent” respectively). Conclusions: The course is centered around shared
adult learning and mindfulness tools to encourage candidates to learn from each
other and develop confidence and mastery in all domains of surgical practice.
These methods have been shown to be effective in achieving high success rates
in the Intercollegiate and International FRCS examinations for UK and overseas
surgeons.