A pediatric colorectal and pelvic reconstruction course improves content exposure for pediatric surgery fellows: a three-year consecutive study

Abstract Purpose Interactive courses play an important role in meeting the educational needs of pediatric surgical trainees. We investigated the impact of a multimodal pediatric colorectal and pelvic reconstruction course on pediatric surgery trainees. Methods A retrospective evaluation was performed of pre- and post-course surveys for an annual colorectal and pelvic reconstruction course over 3 consecutive years (2017-2019). The course included didactic and case-based content, interactive questions, video, and live case demonstration, and a hands-on lab. Pre- and post-course surveys were distributed to participants. Comfort with operative/case procedures was scored on a 5-point Likert scale (1 uncomfortable, 5 very comfortable). The primary outcome was improved confidence and content knowledge for pediatric colorectal surgical conditions. Results 165 pediatric surgical fellow participants with a 70 responses (42.4 % response rate) comprised the cohort. Participants had limited advanced pediatric colorectal experience. At the time of the course, participants reported a median of 5 [ 3 , 10 ] Hirschsprung pull-throughs, 6 [ 3 , 10 ] anorectal malformation, and 1 [0,1] cloaca cases. Participants transitioned from discomfort to feeling comfortable with pediatric colorectal operative set-up and case management (pre-course 2 [ 2 , 3 ] and post-course 4 [ 4 , 5 ] p Conclusion Pediatric surgery trainees report limited exposure to advanced pediatric colorectal and pelvic reconstruction cases and management during their pediatric surgical fellowship training but report improved content knowledge- and technical understanding of complex pediatric disorders upon completion of a dedicated course. The course is an important adjunct to the experience gained in pediatric surgery fellowship for achieving competency in managing patients with Hirschsprung disease, anorectal malformation, and cloacal reconstructions.