Session Design Submission Review

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Yes

Surgical training favors right-handed surgeons, with most instruction and instruments designed for this population. There are limited resources for preparing opposite-handed surgeons to work together. We aim to discuss and demonstrate strategies that improve collaboration between opposite-handed surgeons.

This session is designed for both right- and left-handed surgeons, emphasizing collaboration and adaptability. Co-created with input from experts, the session features a hands-on simulation, small group discussions, and both in-person and video demonstrations of strategies that promote effective collaboration between surgeons with different dominant hands. We will also discuss some of the strategies used by learners and faculty to communicate and set expectations with one another about handedness. This will include skills for left-handed learners to communicate with right-handed faculty, as well as for left-handed faculty to communicate with right-handed learners.

We will begin by inviting participants to perform a surgical task using their non-dominant hand, providing firsthand experience of the challenges often faced by left-handed learners. This exercise will be followed by a group discussion, where participants can share their experiences and insights on operating with their non-dominant hand, as well as discuss anticipated or previously encountered challenges when working with opposite-handed surgeons. The session will then focus on practical strategies identified by the authors to enhance collaboration, supported by live demonstrations and video examples. Any new insights gained from this discussion will be used to shape and refine a formal curriculum.

By the end of this session, participants will have developed both practical and communication skills to enhance collaboration between right- and left-handed surgeons. These skills are intended to create a more inclusive learning environment for left-handed learners by helping right-handed faculty anticipate potential challenges and proactively address them. Additionally, left-handed trainees will gain strategies to effectively communicate their needs regarding handedness and to better navigate positioning and task execution in surgical settings.

45-minute workshop

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Yes

Identify challenges associated with operating using one's non-dominant hand.

Predict specific surgical techniques and tasks that may present physical challenges when working with surgeons of opposite handedness.

Develop strategies for effectively communicating about handedness and preferred positioning to prepare for potentially challenging scenarios with opposite-handed colleagues.

Apply physical and communication techniques to optimize collaboration and performance when working alongside opposite-handed surgeons.