title: Free-access open-source e-learning in comprehensive neurosurgery skills training.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since the end of last century, technology has taken a front seat in dispersion of medical education. Advancements of technology in neurosurgery and traditional training methods are now being challenged by legal and ethical concerns of patient safety, resident work-hour restriction and cost of operating-room time. To supplement the existing neurosurgery education pattern, various e-learning platforms are introduced as structured, interactive learning system.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study focuses on the concept, formulation, development and impact of web based learning platforms dedicated to neurosurgery discipline to disseminate education, supplement surgical knowledge and improve skills of neurosurgeons. 'Neurosurgery Education and Training School (NETS), e-learning platform' has integration of web-based technologies like 'Content Management System' for organizing the education material and 'Learning Management System' for updating neurosurgeons. NETS discussion forum networks neurosurgeons, neuroscientists and neuro-technologists across the globe facilitating collaborative translational research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multi-authored neurosurgical e-learning material supplements the deficiencies of regular time-bound education. Interactive open-source, global, free-access e-learning platform of NETS has around 1) 425 visitors/month from 73 countries; ratio of new visitors to returning visitors 42.3; 57.7 (2); 64,380 views from 190 subscribers for surgical videos, 3-D animation, graphics based training modules (3); average 402 views per post.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The e-Learning platforms provide updated educational content that make them "quick, surf, find and extract" resources. e-Learning tools like web-based education, social interactive platform and question-answer forum will save unnecessary expenditure of time and travel of neurosurgeons seeking knowledge. The need for free access platforms is more pronounced for the neurosurgeons and patients in developing nations.
authors.forename: Payal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jotwani
authors.forename: Vinkle
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Srivastav
authors.forename: Manjul
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: Rama Chandra
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Deo
authors.forename: Britty
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baby
authors.forename: Natesan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Damodaran
authors.forename: Ramandeep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ashish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suri
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bettag
authors.forename: Tara Sankar
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Busert
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehlitz
authors.forename: Sanjeev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lalwani
authors.forename: Kanwaljeet
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: Kolin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Sanjiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: Subhashis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: Prem
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.forename: Subodh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Bhavani Shankar
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Ashok Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Mahapatra
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000193:education*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000193:education*