Teaching the surgical craft: surgery residents perception of the operating theater educational environment in a tertiary institution in Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
The transformation of a surgical trainee into a surgeon is strongly influenced by the quality of teaching in the operating theater. This study investigates the perceptions of residents about the educational environment of the operating theater and identifies variables that may improve the operating theater education of our trainees.


METHODS
Residents in the department of surgery anonymously evaluated teaching in the operating room using the operating theater education environment measure. The residents evaluated 33 variables that might have an impact on their surgical skills within the operating theater. The variables were grouped into four subscales; teaching and training, learning opportunities, operating theater atmosphere and workload/supervision/support. Differences between male and female residents and junior and senior registrars were assessed using Mann-Whitney test. Statistical analysis was completed with the statistics package for the social sciences version 17.


RESULTS
A total of 33 residents were participated in this study. Twenty nine (88%) males and 4 (12%) females. 30 (90%) were junior registrars. The mean total score was 67.5%. Operating theater atmosphere subscale had the highest score of 79.2% while workload/supervision/support subscale had the least score of 48.3%. There were significant differences between male and female resident's perception of workload/supervision/support P < 0.05; however, there was no significant differences in junior registrar versus senior registrar's perception of the education environment in all the subscales P > 0.05.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has shown a satisfactory teaching environment based on the existing local realities of means, resources and tools and highlighted the need for improvement in workload/supervision/support in our institution. An acceptable learning environment in the operating theatre will produce surgeons that are technically competent to bridge the gap in the enormous unmet need for surgical care in Nigeria.
Department of Surgery, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Abdulrasheed
A
Ibrahim
Department of Surgery, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Ibrahim Z
IZ
Delia
Department of Surgery, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Sunday A
SA
Edaigbini
Department of Surgery, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Nigeria.
Amina
A
Abubakar
Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Ismail L
IL
Dahiru
Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Zakari Y
ZY
Lawal
Teaching; operating theater; perception; residents; surgical craft