2316 - A 'Pop Up' Hands On Procedural Workshop for Radiation Oncology: Creating a Practical Education Module on a Limited Budget

Purpose/Objective(s): To further resident education we developed a 'pop up,' hands-on brachytherapy procedural education session designed to provide practical, low-pressure training. Here, we describe the process, materials, budget, execution, and resident-reported outcomes for this educational intervention.

Materials/Methods: An informal needs assessment was conducted among residents, which identified a desire for simulation-based training in procedural skills. Targeted skills included endorectal ultrasound image acquisition and optimization, ultrasound-based prostate anatomy recognition, brachytherapy stepper use, intra-prostatic catheter placement, rectal spacer needle placement, vaginal cuff brachytherapy, tandem and ring / ovoid procedures, Syed applicator placement, and indirect laryngoscopy. A focused curriculum was developed to address these needs, and required educational resources and equipment were identified.

Results: The budget for non-previously purchased items was $1350. Educational equipment included a legacy (1997) ultrasound unit, a non-clinical-use stepper, a commercial ultrasound prostate phantom, an educational rectal spacer kit, and a disposable laryngoscope. Broken or non-clinical-use brachytherapy applicators were repurposed for training. Through partnership with the medical school, an anatomic donor and a shared, pan-residency practical training space were available. Three workstations were developed: (1) prostate ultrasound with phantom, (2) gynecologic brachytherapy applicator overview and hands-on practice with the anatomic donor, and (3) a curtained flexible laryngoscopy station using the donor. Each station included a brief introductory didactic, hands-on review of physical applicators, and real-time procedural practice. Pre- and post-session surveys demonstrated high ratings for organization, educational value, and increased procedural confidence. Resident surveys were collected on educational content and perceived comfort with procedures utilizing a numeric 1-5 scoring system. Residents rated educational content as sufficient for all aspects, but lowest for prostate anatomy using the phantom. Concurrent resident self-assessment on perceived comfort had highest agreement on delineating prostate anatomy and needle placement as well as laryngoscope comfort.

Conclusion: A multi-procedure, hands-on residency training workshop can be implemented with a modest budget utilizing shared institutional resources. Trainees reported positive educational impact and improved confidence following participation. This model demonstrates the feasibility and relative ease of incorporating procedural workshops into residency education in an era of expanding procedural scope within radiation oncology practice.