Teaching Professionalism Effectively to Surgical Trainees– Impact of a Workshop Post Pandemic on Trainers and Trainees

Background:
Focussed professionalism training improves surgical trainees' communication, information gathering and counselling skills. This study reviews the impact of a professionalism workshop for surgical trainees within a large trust in the United Kingdom developed during the pandemic to support trainees and help them develop resilience and appropriate behaviours during a time of increased pressure.

Method:
A workshop involving case-based discussions and reflections on professionalism was developed from themes and methods of training noted to be effective on a literature search of Medline, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases carried out in May 2020. The impact of Covid on surgical trainees and educator's professionalism training and the techniques of training preferred by trainees was evaluated by a survey of trainees and trainers post intervention to evolve future training initiatives. During the workshop a behavioural marker checklist was used to improve feedback on observed behaviours.

Results:
83 trainers and trainees were surveyed following a professional behaviour workshop training 63 surgeons at various stages of training. Surgical list availability had reduced by at least 5-10 a month for all the trainees within the trust during the pandemic. Most trainees surveyed (49 (60%)) felt that this had reduced the opportunities to train technical skills and develop professional non-technical skills like teamwork and communication skills adversely impacting on the trainee's clinical performance. The increased support offered by the workshop helped (50 (80%)) of trainees to improve non-technical skill performance objectively by referencing to behavioural markers and this was felt to have become embedded in practice when surveyed 4 weeks later in 38 (60%).
The majority surveyed 47 (75%) felt trainers and trainees had acted professionally during the pandemic and subsequently. The workshop discussions also helped 56 (67%) of the trainers and trainees consider how best to engage professionally with new ways of working as work and training switched to virtual or telemedicine platforms during the pandemic.

Conclusions:
Professionalism-based education facilitates surgical trainee development making them stronger team members and helps restore teamworking skills and embrace new working practices.