Teaching surgery: new times, new methods

Introduction: The organisation, follow-up and quality of post-graduate teaching may be in need of appraisal in our area. This study sets out a clear objective: to use a more practical and effective teaching tool than we currently have available. Not only will it set out to assess the resident, but also provide material already approved and reviewed by their tutors. All this will be achieved using an easy, accessible and free method which ensures their basic training. Material and method: Firstly, we identified the practical problems in the general surgery residency in our area. We prepared a questionnaire and sent it by e-mail to all second year and over residents of the Basque Country Autonomous Community. From the results obtained, we designed a file system with Google Documents (TM) and we started to apply it the third and fourth years. Results: The teaching methods in Surgery have partly become obsolete due to the initiative of Information Sciences Technology. The new generations naturally dominate the Internet along with the more common computer applications. Within our reach we have a series of tools that, due to lack of knowledge or lack of time, we do not use. This article attempts to provide a working option that will help the job of the tutor as a teaching figure, since the health care activity often has no place for interaction with the resident. (C) 2010 AEC. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.