TOTBV-04: ORIENTATION TO THE OPERATING ROOM: A VIRTUAL CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE INTRODUCTION AND INCREASE LEARNER COMFORT ACROSS MULTIPLE TRAINING SITES
Caitlyn Waldrop, MS3, Katie J Stanton Maxey, MD, Elizabeth Huffman, MD, Megan Rendina, BS; Indiana University School of Medicine

What problem in education is addressed by this work?:
At our institution, there are multiple training locations accommodating over 350 third year medical students annually during the surgical clerkship, resulting in logistical barriers that preclude orientation to unique physical locations. Additionally, time constraints limit delivery of the abundant content necessary for appropriate orientation to the clerkship. Considering these challenges, students remain anxious about beginning their surgical clerkship, particularly with regards to operating room etiquette and protocols, which we have identified as a problem.

Describe the intervention:
“Introduction to the Operating Room” is an online module with photos from each training site, including pre- and post-operative areas, operating rooms, and sterile corridors. The module includes “click and learn” options, which provide details regarding the location of relevant equipment and supplies, roles of operating room personnel, and medical student etiquette including participation opportunities. Scrubbing, gowning, and gloving procedural videos are included for introduction prior to the practical demonstration and observed scrub that occurs during orientation.

Describe how this intervention could be applied at other institutions. Please specifically comment on identified barriers that could exist and how they could be overcome:
The use of a virtual module for orientation to the operating room could be beneficial for any institution, particularly those with multiple sites, at various levels of training. This curriculum could better equip students to be active and more comfortable participants on day one of the surgical clerkship, when time or other logistical constraints to orientation activities exist. Barriers to this robust form of orientation include the time involved in module creation, as well as maintaining HIPPA compliancy in photos of hospital areas; these barriers can be easily overcome by taking photos after hours and enlisting medical student and/or research resident assistance.