The Role of Electronic Learning in Orthopaedic Graduate Medical Training: A Consensus From Leaders in Orthopaedic Training Programs.

The US orthopaedic graduate medical education system is based on long established methods in education, but academic leaders at orthopaedic institutions now have the ability to use electronic learning innovations. Hospital for Special Surgery gathered graduate medical education leaders from orthopaedic training programs around the country and an electronic learning expert to review current orthopaedic residency and fellowship program practices. This group came to consensus with the following points: (1) current training methods do not take full advantage of available technology/innovations, (2) trainees inappropriately use electronic resources in the absence of or in an underdeveloped formal electronic training program, (3) trainees learn at different rates and in different ways requiring individualized plans for optimal content engagement, and (4) formal electronic learning programs better use time dedicated to educating trainees than informal programs. Orthopaedic graduate medical training programs that adopt these points can establish an electronic learning program to complement their traditional education program by (1) guaranteeing online content is standardized and approved, (2) reducing time spent covering standard lecture material and increasing time spent reviewing cases, and (3) engaging students of all learning backgrounds with content in both asynchronous and synchronous formats.