History

TUTORIALS IN GENERAL SURGERY

A HISTORY

TUTORIALS IN GENERAL SURGERY

A HISTORY

Reynaldo O. Joson, MD, MHA, MHPEd, DPBS, FPCS

I. Glaxo General Surgery Sessions

In 1990, under the sponsorship of Glaxo Philippines, Inc., I

organized the Glaxo General Surgery Sessions in Manila. The

teaching sessions were intended for interested surgical residents

in Metro Manila. The sessions were held once a month, on the

last Friday, 7 to 9 pm, at the Manila Doctors Hospital Conference

Room.

The first session was held on March 23, 1990 and the topic

was "Learning and Mastery of General Surgery". At least five

sessions were held before Glaxo stopped its commitment. The

other topics discussed were Rational Use of Antibiotics in

Surgery; Inguinal Hernia; Burns; and Hemorrhoids.

Surgical trainees from Manila Doctors Hospital, Medical

Center Manila, Ospital ng Maynila, Philippine General Hospital,

and Jose Reyes Memorial Hospital attended the sessions. On the

average, there were about 30 participants per session.

The learning sessions were conducted primarily in the form

of a lecture preceded by a pretest and followed by a posttest.

II. A General Surgery Course in Zamboanga City Medical Center

In 1991, under the sponsorship of Bayer Philippines, Inc., I

designed a 4-year structured, community-based, competency-based,

and problem-oriented General Surgery Course in Zamboanga City

Medical Center (ZCMC) using a distance education mode of

training. The primary objective of the course was to upgrade the

general surgery training program of ZCMC.

Faculty based in Manila went to ZCMC every 3 months for 4

years to conduct and monitor the training in general surgery.

Active, small group discussion and learning was the main teaching

method. During the intervals that the faculty and the surgical

trainees did not see each other, the faculty provided printed

learning materials and the trainees did self-study or independent

study.

The course started with 13 trainees and ended after 4 years

in 1995, with 9 graduates. One trainee was from Sulu Provincial

Hospital; another, from Labuan Community Hospital; the rest were

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surgical residents of ZCMC. One graduate is now practicing in

Pagadian; one, in Ipil; one, in Sulu; one, in Labuan; and 5 in

Zamboanga City.

In 1993, I started the second batch of trainees under the

General Surgery Course in ZCMC. Aside from the surgical

residents from ZCMC, there were trainees from Zamboanga del Norte

Provincial Hospital, Margosatubig District Hospital, and Tawi-

tawi. Initially, there were also trainees from Basilan, Sulu,

and Sibuco. However, these trainees eventually dropped out

mainly because of problems with the policies of the local

governments. The second batch of trainees is ongoing as of June,

1996.

III. General Surgery Learning Sessions in Tondo Medical Center

In March, 1993, I was requested by the Department of Surgery

of Tondo Medical Center to conduct training sessions for its

general surgery residents. I designed a program which I called

General Surgery Learning Sessions. The format was essentially

the same as that of the General Surgery Course in ZCMC. The only

difference was that the specialty training was not included. In

other words, training was limited to the domains of general

surgery.

From 1993 up to 1995, at a frequency of every 3 months, I

would go to Tondo Medical Center to conduct a 2-day general

surgery learning sessions. A total of 10 sessions were held.

IV. Tutorials in General Surgery

In 1996, I decided to call any teaching-learning sessions

which I will be conducting from hereon as "Tutorials in General

Surgery". "Tutorials", rather than the word "course", because it

allows flexibility, leeway, and a come-on in joining, especially

for those already in an accredited 4- or 5-year general surgery

program who are attracted to the program; for those who have

completed their formal training and wish to pursue further

learning; and for those interested but who have not yet decided

on pursuing a 4-year course.

"Tutorials", also because of the distance education format

that will be primarily utilized. Whenever the faculty and

trainees meet intermittently face-to-face, the faculty will

"tutor" the students.

Another reason for the use of the word "tutorials" is that

problem-based learning will be the main teaching-learning

approach. The small group discussion with the faculty

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facilitating is a "tutorial" session in the parlance of problem-

base learning.

The Tutorials in General Surgery just like its forerunners,

the Glaxo General Surgery Sessions, the General Surgery Course in

Zamboanga City Medical Center, and the General Surgery Learning

Sessions in Tondo Medical Center, has for its objective the

training of general surgeons to be. Its goal is the health

development of the community through surgical manpower

development through a relevant, effective, and efficient method

of training utilizing a community-oriented-based, competency-

based and problem-based learning approach.

V. Tutorials Leading to a Diploma and Master of Science in

General Surgery

In the General Surgery Course in ZCMC, the first batch of

graduates received a Diploma in General Surgery in 1995. The

second batch of graduates are eligible for a Diploma in General

Surgery as long as they satisfactorily complete the requirements.

Although the General Surgery Course in ZCMC will be changed

to Tutorials in General Surgery starting 1996, a Diploma in

General Surgery will still be granted as long as the trainees

satisfactorily complete 16 tutorials, 20 courses, and other

prescribed requirements. Each "tutorial" is a teaching-learning

session that awards credits for trainees who attend it and

achieve the learning objectives.

There is a plan to offer a Master of Science in General

Surgery under ZCMC and Zamboanga Medical School Foundation. The

tutorials can be credited or validated in the masteral course.

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