![vascular surgery knot tying vascular surgery knot tying](https://vusu82kigqv1hnthm3qtdqed-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ligature-Knot-Two-Hand-Technique-S.jpg)
![vascular surgery knot tying vascular surgery knot tying](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/E774AhAAVqg/maxresdefault.jpg)
In-person boot camp with proper social distancing measures began on June 22. Additionally, 3 virtual tutoring sessions with a 1:4 faculty-to-resident ratio were held before the start of boot camp. The original instructional videos paused at various points throughout each task to convey technical instruction, and it was believed that watching a continuous passing attempt would facilitate complete understanding of each task given the virtual learning environment. These new videos were filmed with over-the-shoulder and frontal toward-the-performer perspectives and demonstrated each task performed within passing criteria without interruption. New instructional videos of the tasks were distributed to the residents after each session. The curriculum was divided into three 1-hour sessions and introduced via Zoom starting on June 1. Additionally, phone stands were sent to each resident to facilitate filming their attempts on each task for feedback from faculty. Personal VATA Suture Skills Trainers were sent to each resident by May 30, along with FLS vessel loops, Velcro strips for fixation of the FLS vessel loops, and extra silk ties and sutures. Only the 29 General Surgery residents participated in the virtual program. In 2020, owing to campus-wide restrictions on in-person activities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the boot camp was reduced to half of the previous year’s sessions and conducted over Zoom throughout June.
![vascular surgery knot tying vascular surgery knot tying](https://www.bbraun.com/content/dam/b-braun/global/website/products-and-therapies/wound-closure/knots/square_knot_one_hand_technique_first_throw_03.jpg)
The UT Southwestern Simulation Center was open for voluntary practice throughout the entire period between curriculum introduction and post-test. The posttest for this curriculum was conducted on July 17 with only the 26 General Surgery residents. The residents were offered voluntary 1-hour 1:1 tutoring sessions with the faculty simulation director before the posttest, but zero residents accepted this offer. Three of the tasks were also practiced and tested during “Top Knot,” a simulation knot-tying competition conducted at the end of the boot camp. The residents completed an additional 4 hours of practice with the faculty simulation director with assistance from simulation staff during the week of boot camp. 4 Links to these videos were provided to the learners at this time. The faculty simulation director led the session with the assistance of instructional videos previously recorded by Scott, et al. The open skills curriculum was introduced during a 1-hour session on June 24 in the UT Southwestern Simulation Center. In 2019, 40 learners from the General Surgery Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Urology and Ear, Nose, and Throat residency programs participated in the intern boot camp, which paralleled the described American College of Surgeons, Association of Program Directors in Surgery, and Association for Surgical Education Resident Prep Curriculum with additional sessions tailored to our institution. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of surgical training using self-directed study with faculty-facilitated instruction via Zoom video conferencing service (Zoom Video Communications, Inc, San Jose, CA) versus traditional in-person boot camp instruction by comparing the performance of the 2020 PGY1 matriculating class to the 2019 class on the boot camp posttests. In July 2020, social distancing guidelines at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center precluded holding an in-person intern boot camp, necessitating the transition of the existing program to a virtual format. Many activities in medical education have been affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but those that require in-person and hands-on instruction, such as intern boot camps, have been especially impacted.
![vascular surgery knot tying vascular surgery knot tying](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uFJbTbjeU4Y/maxresdefault.jpg)
1, 2, 3 Accordingly, many general surgery residency programs hold intern boot camps for incoming PGY1 residents to review skills and verify basic suturing and knot-tying proficiency. However, there remains large variability in the structure and assessment of skills training, and evidence for the persistence of skills is lacking. Recent efforts such as the development of the Resident Prep Curriculum by the American College of Surgeons, Association of Program Directors in Surgery, and Association for Surgical Education have pushed to standardize and improve the preparation that fourth-year medical students receive for surgical residencies.