The world's first online surgical training programme comes into service this month at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).
BeST, or electronic Basic Surgical Training, is a virtual university, enabling trainee surgeons to access a flexible training programme on the Internet no matter where they are in the world; 24 hours a day - 365 days a year.
The development represents a multi-million pound investment by the RCSI, which is responsible for the surgical training of doctors in Ireland. The technology is provided by Intuition, an e-learning specialist company. The RCSI recognises the service demands made on surgical trainees, according to the dean of postgraduate studies at RCSI, Mr Oscar Traynor. "Therefore BeST is available online so that trainees can study when it suits their schedule and their study plan."
BeST was designed specifically to focus the attention of the trainees on learning and not on technology, he added. It is packaged as an extensive 18-module syllabus and is aimed at helping trainees pass the general professional surgical examinations. RCSI surgical trainees will also begin to use BeST from this month. The multi-media content includes visual and interactive training, tutorials and test simulations, real-life case studies, access to the RCSI's library, interactive bulletin board and feedback from tutors. The development of BeST uses the latest in web technology in its multimedia presentation of content, but is simple to access and use, noted Mr Michael Horgan, RCSI deputy chief executive. "It requires a standard PC and works with the standard web browsers. It also uses the most popular animation software. This ensures there are no technical barriers to getting online, getting active and getting focused on learning."
The RCSI insists the initiative fits appropriately with its aim to promote the highest standards in practice and science of surgery - the college conducts a variety of training and examination programmes for surgeons from Ireland and overseas, while Intuition is a world leader in e-learning and operates over 150 major e-learning web sites in 50 countries worldwide.
