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Live streaming cataract surgery: A unique solution to reduced theatre opportunities for medical students

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First Author: M.Khan UK

Co Author(s):    M. Khan   H. Roberts   J. Myerscough   C. Gunasekera           

Abstract Details

Purpose:

The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused considerable disruption to teaching on both an undergraduate and postgraduate level. Opportunities to observe operations were typically scarce prior to the pandemic, and given social distancing rules and concerns over transmission of the coronavirus these chances have been reduced further. Experiential learning can help medical students solidify experiences and engage in reflective practice. We report a novel, inexpensive method of live-streaming cataract surgery to enable medical students to engage in experiential learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Setting:

Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Essex, United Kingdom. Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Essex, United Kingdom. UCL Medical School, United Kingdom.

Methods:

Our method utilizes a consumer level laptop which many ophthalmologists will already possess, an inexpensive video capture cable, and free video conferencing software. The video signal from the operating microscope was relayed to the laptop, where the screen was then live streamed 13 miles away to medical students in the University Hospital. Recording of the operation to the cloud was also done simultaneously.

Results:

We found our method to be simpler and cheaper than those previously reported in the literature. We did not require any additional expensive equipment to record the videos or convert the video output. The videos were easily editable after the event for later educational purposes and received a high level of satisfaction.

Conclusions:

With the advent of 5G, HD and 4K live-streaming resolution are now possible given the strengthening of the digital infrastructure during the global pandemic. This technique would be of interest to Ophthalmologists who wish to deliver safe enhanced experiential learning to undergraduate ophthalmology teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Financial Disclosure:

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