Virtual Learning - A New Normal

Dr. Albertz

Dr. Chandrakantan

Dr. Chatterjee

Dr. Dachsangvorn

Dr. Hernandez

Dr. Hoagland

Dr. LeRiger

Dr. Masaracchia

Get Your Learn On: Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Question of the Week

Coronavirus has forced us to explore new opportunities for trainee education and self-directed learning. Virtual presentations have replaced traditional in-person didactic teaching sessions. Several departments have developed online curricula to supplement trainee education. One such innovative project at the national level is the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) Question of the Week.

Every week, a multiple-choice question related to a pediatric anesthesiology topic is published on the SPA website (www.pedsanesthesia.org) and a notification email of its availability sent to all SPA members. The topics are selected from a list of commonly missed keywords from the pediatric in-training examination developed by the American Board of Anesthesiology. The question is accompanied by a two-page summary of the keyword and selected references. Figures and tables are frequently used to highlight key concepts. Previous week’s questions are archived on the SPA website and remain accessible to all SPA members.

Faculty mentorship is an important part of this project. The questions and keyword discussions are authored by a pediatric anesthesiology fellow or anesthesiology resident with faculty mentorship. Interested trainees and faculty receive guidelines on question writing, detailed instructions for the submission process, and a standard template to use. The editorial team includes eight pediatric anesthesiologists from various programs in the United States. To ensure high-quality questions and keyword discussions, each submission is peer-reviewed by three editors.

SPA QoW Editorial Team
Megan Albertz, MD
Arvind Chandrakantan, MD, MBA
Debnath Chatterjee, MD, FAAP
Ona Dachsangvorn, MD
Michael R. Hernandez, MD
Monica A. Hoagland, MD
Michelle M. LeRiger, MD
Melissa Masaracchia, MD

There are several benefits to this project. The questions are an excellent resource for self-directed learning for both trainees and faculty. They can be used for teaching in the operating room or perioperative setting. Additionally, it qualifies as a peer-reviewed online scholarly publication for the authors. Trainees benefit immensely from the required mentorship process. Innovative projects like the SPA Question of the Week provide learning opportunities for independent study and teaching in the perioperative setting that will continue long after the pandemic recedes. Please reach out to spaquestionoftheweek@gmail.com if you are interested in contributing.