Abstract
To evaluate the number of operative neuroanatomy lectures and their impact on the academic and surgical excellence of neurosurgery trainees in Andean Latin America.
A total of 132 residents and early-career neurosurgeons from Andean Latin America participated in this study. An electronic open-ended survey was distributed. Participants completed preintervention and postintervention surveys, and neuroanatomy knowledge was assessed before and after different educational interventions. Participants were grouped by access to lecture frequency (<5 lectures, 5–10 lectures, and >10 lectures) and format (virtual vs in person). Comparisons were based on training location (e.g., capital, urban, rural) and residency training level or early-career stage.
More than one-half (80 of 132, 61%) of participants reported that they had attended <5 neuroanatomy lectures during their training. Only 16 participants (12%) had attended >10 lectures. Trainees with access to >10 lectures demonstrated higher proficiency levels, particularly in supratentorial anatomy (P < .01). In addition, learning outcomes did not differ by lecture format. Chief residents based in capital programs had more access to >5 lectures compared with their urban peers (24 of 29 [83%] and 2 of 9 [22%], respectively) (P < .01).
These findings support virtual lectures as an effective and scalable approach to bridging gaps in neurosurgery education. Expanding free web-based resources that are tailored to the educational needs of neurosurgery residents in low- and middle-income countries could enhance training and improve workforce competency in underserved regions.