Training of Trainers in Medicine, Surgery, and Neurosurgery

Abstract

In an ever-changing world, medical fields especially the training of the trainers of neurosurgery have never been as engaging and required as it is nowadays. There are several fundamental issues regarding the training of trainers of different medical specialties and subspecialties such as in which educational context this training of the trainers’ program is included. Do these courses need a curriculum? What are the qualifications of the trainer of the trainers? Who should be trained? How should they be trained? Where should they be trained? What about the evaluation process? Is a certificate to be a trainer required? If required, how long should this certificate (license) be valid? The developing of new technologies, equipment, drugs, and skills requires that neurosurgeons, surgeons, and medical practitioners be aware of such developments and learn how to correctly, safely, and efficiently use them. The participation of the companies and industries which produce such innovations and equipment is both logical and required. However, this participation should not violate ethical codes and cause a serious conflict of interest. Therefore, the participation of industries and commercial companies in the training programs should be transparent, as well as, ethically and administratively regulated.

Historically, the traditional model of training the trainers in most medical specialties has been largely unscheduled and unplanned. In this model, the tendency is towards a lack of structured planning of courses or academic calendars or clearly laid out development criteria. Neurosurgical training of trainers poses particular challenges, as the advancements, developments, and innovation are so frequent and so needed. These factors have necessitated a move from the traditional training of trainers’ model. These new courses should have curricula and be supervised by the education departments or equivalent department in each institute. Key factors in determining the success of neurosurgical training of trainers’ programs are (1) clear vision of the importance of developing educational structured training for trainers’ programs, (2) metacognition of the faculty of training instructors and planners about their own need to receive further training to enhance their abilities to teach and train others, (3) a willingness to evolve selection and other processes to catch up with new technologies and educational challenges as they become apparent.