42: What do residents want in a surgical video? Trainee perspectives on the vaginal hysterectomy

To describe the critical components and features of an educational vaginal hysterectomy surgical video from the resident perspective. Our secondary aim was to compare junior and senior level resident responses. Individual semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with Ob/Gyn residents from two separate academic-based residency programs. Participants were selected based on key informant sampling in which individuals known to be interested in vaginal surgery or gynecologic sub-specialty training were invited to participate. Investigators explored 4 principal topic areas: 1) Components of high-yield vaginal hysterectomy videos; 2) Supplemental features for educational videos; 3) Differences between high and low quality surgical videos; 4) Barriers to viewing video prior to surgery. Individual qualitative interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded and analyzed by two independent reviewers using NVivo12 Pro. Eighteen residents participated in qualitative interviews with 12 (67%) senior level residents (post-graduate year 3 or 4) and 6 (33%) junior level residents (post-graduate year 1 or 2). All residents had completed 10 or less vaginal hysterectomies at the time of the interviews. Gynecology residents characterized high-yield vaginal hysterectomy videos as short, accessible surgical videos available on mobile applications (Figure 1). Residents desired videos that highlight and provide insight into challenging techniques: anterior peritoneal entry, uterosacral pedicles and vaginal cuff closure. With regards to desired supplemental material, senior level residents identified intraoperative complications and troubleshooting as important whereas junior level residents identified instrumentation and anatomy review. Trainees described high quality videos as those with adequate visualization, graphics to demarcate anatomy overlaid on the dissection, review of challenging techniques and descriptive audio. Low quality videos were described as long duration, poor visualization and inadequate audio explanation. Resident awareness and video accessibility were common barriers that prevented residents from viewing vaginal hysterectomy videos prior to surgery. The importance of an accessible mobile application with short, descriptive videos were congruent across all resident experience levels. Gynecology residents desire short, app-based vaginal hysterectomy videos that are easily accessible. Understanding residents’ perspective can aid educators to create videos directed toward resident learning preferences.