Innovations in surgical technology are to be highlighted in a new podcast, ‘Surgery Now’, developed at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) using Enterprise Ireland funding.
The aim of this 30-minute magazine-style podcast is to allow surgeons to easily access the latest information about clinical practice at the touch of a button.
Aimed at both surgeons in practice and training, the podcast was developed by surgeons in order to help the community keep up-to-date with the latest in surgery, to help them fulfil their continual professional development (CPD) requirements and to create a worldwide community of surgeons based on shared experiences.
The podcast features virtual grand rounds, whereby a ‘case of the week’ is presented with clinical details, investigations and imaging and assignments are given to the viewers based on the content of the case.
The podcast also includes a section on ‘Journal Watch’, which looks at current surgical journals and a Surgical Technology Update, which looks at the latest developments in surgical technology. This slot aims to showcase Ireland’s strong position in the medical device industry.
“With the introduction of mandatory CPD, the emphasis on life-long learning, revalidation and recertification has become even more relevant to surgeons,” said Prof Oscar Traynor, director of the National Surgical Training Centre, RCSI.
“This podcast has been developed to allow surgeons to keep up to date with the latest advances in surgical practice and technology at a time and from a location that suits them. Over time, the podcasts will be developed as part of a ‘Surgery Now’ podcast series, whereby surgeons can receive CPD accreditation for viewing the podcast and submitting assignments based on the case of the week.”
Marina Donohoe, manager of business and consumer services at Enterprise Ireland, said the podcast was a great example of the innovative and internationally focused products and services the agency sees Irish companies develop with assistance under the Going Global Fund.
RCSI’s e-learning programme for surgical training (BeST Online) is used by surgical trainees throughout the world and School for Surgeons is used to manage the learning programme for surgical trainees in Ireland. RCSI has also been at the forefront in developing a simulation-based surgical training curriculum.
