E-Mailed Conference Synopses as a Tool for Resident and Faculty Development

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the utility and success of daily conference synopses emails ("Daily Dispatches") sent to surgical attending physicians, fellows, and residents to foster resident and faculty development. Emails were distributed by the surgical residency program director (PD), summarizing each day of a surgical conference. Two prospective electronic surveys were administered to surgical residents, fellows, and attending surgeons to evaluate the value of this Daily Dispatch method. Institutional; Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Department of Surgery, Washington, DC. Email synopses were sent to surgical attendings, fellows and residents. Pilot survey was distributed to 60 participants, main survey sent to 74 participants. The response rate for the pilot survey was 41.6% (25/60). When asked about the mode of delivery, 96% of respondents wanted to maintain the email medium when compared to a lecture, paper handout, or the use of social media. The response rate for the main survey was 31.1% (23/74). Almost all (91%) respondents reported reading the emails. Within this group, 70% "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that the emails were useful. Furthermore, 90% reported learning "at least one new thing" and 80% confirmed these "emails provide meaningful content they would not otherwise obtain". Individualized daily synopsis emails highlighting relevant content provided meaningful information from conferences to non-attendees. The emails were well received and useful. Daily Dispatches meet an important need in dissemination of information traditionally gathered only by the rate-limiting step of conference attendance.