` Acta Scientific | International Open Library | Open Access Journals Publishing Group

Acta Scientific Orthopaedics (ISSN: 2581-8635)

Research Article Volume 8 Issue 12

Practice What you Preach: Does the Orthopaedic Medical Practice Support Lifelong Learning?

Heleen M Staal1*, Wouter A de Vries2, Carolin Sehlbach3 and Marloes WJL Schmitz4

1MD, PhD, Master of Education, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Director Educational Program, Department of Orthopaedics Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
2MD, PhD-Student, School of Health Professions Education (SHE), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
3PhD, Department of Educational Development and Research, School of Health Professions Education (SHE), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
4MD, PhD, Department of Orthopaedics Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

*Corresponding Author: Heleen M Staal, MD, PhD, Master of Education, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Director Educational Program, Department of Orthopaedics Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Received: October 28, 2025; Published: November 14, 2025

Reprints View PDF Related Articles

Abstract

Background: Medical knowledge is quickly changing and skills for patientcare are rapidly evolving, urging medical doctors to be life-long learners (LLL). For surgical residents “Role modelling”, especially in the theatre, is considered the centrepiece of their learning. Are surgeons able to be role models for residents? What are relevant teaching- and learning experiences and what are the facilitators and barriers?

Method: This qualitative study investigates how orthopaedic surgeons and residents interact in theatre. Video observations and semi-structured interviews identify whether the mind-set of residents and the enacted messages delivered in their workplace are coherent with the requirements needed for LLL.

Results: The theatre is a rich learning environment. Feedback from orthopaedic surgeons for residents is important, as are assessment questions and reflective discussions. Residents generally have a learning mind-set; they prosper from a relaxed atmosphere especially when surgeons show confidence in their workmanship and when they share the responsibility towards patientcare. However, time pressure and early job take over inhibits teaching and learning, the skewed resident-surgeon power relation has a negative effect on learning and teaching.

Conclusion: The operating theatre is a rich and relevant workplace where residents can practice skills they need for lifelong learning. Orthopaedic surgeons support learning. They can be more open to feedback and reduce power inequality; this will improve the lifelong learning skills of the residents. The time available for teaching and learning at the workplace is essential to a favourable outcome.

Keywords: Lifelong Learning (LLL); Orthopaedic Surgeon

References

  1. Mezirow J. “Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice”. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education (1997): 74.
  2. Marzo RR. “Role of Medical Education in Cultivating Lifelong Learning Skills for Future Doctors”. Education in Medicine Journal3 (2018): 63-66.
  3. Lewis M. “Lifelong Learning: Why Professionals Must Have the Desire for and the Capacity to Continue Learning Throughout Life”. Health Information Management: Journal of Health Information Management Association of Australia2 (1998): 62-66.
  4. Candy PC and Training NBOEEA. “Developing Lifelong Learners Through Undergraduate Education”. 1994: Canberre: Australian Govt. Pub. Service (1994).
  5. Matthews C. “Role modelling: how does it influence teaching in Family Medicine?” Medical Education6 (2000): 443-448.
  6. Jones M and McLean K. “Mindsets for Lifelong Learning, in Personalising Learning in Teacher Education”. Springer: Singapore (2018).
  7. LaDonna KA., et al. “Staging a performance: learners' perceptions about direct observation during residency”. Medical Education5 (2017): 498-510.
  8. Teunissen PW and T Dornan. “The competent novice - Lifelong learning at work”. Bmj-British Medical Journal7645 (2008): 667-669.
  9. Schut S., et al. “Between trust and control: Teachers' assessment conceptualisations within programmatic assessment”. Medical Education6 (2020): 528-537.
  10. Sehlbach C., et al. “Learning in the workplace: Use of informal feedback cues in doctor-patient communication”. Medical Education9 (2020): 811-820.
  11. Kenny NP., et al. “Role modeling in physicians' professional formation: reconsidering an essential but untapped educational strategy”. Academic Medicine12 (2003): 1203-1210.
  12. Wright SM and JA Carrese. “Excellence in role modelling: insight and perspectives from the pros”. CMAJ 6 (2002): 638-643.
  13. Billett SR. “Towards a model of workplace learning: the learning curriculum”. Studies in Continuing Education 1 (1996): 43-58.
  14. Glaser B and Strauss A. “Discovery of Grounded Theory”. New York: Routledge (1999).
  15. Korkiakangas T., et al. “Nurse-surgeon object transfer: video analysis of communication and situation awareness in the operating theatre”. International Journal of Nursing Studies 9 (2014): 1195-206.
  16. Meredith JO., et al. “Are we operating effectively? A lean analysis of operating theatre changeovers”. Operations Management Research3-4 (2011): 89-98.
  17. Blom EM., et al. “Analysis of verbal communication during teaching in the operating room and the potentials for surgical training”. Surgical Endoscopy9 (2007): 1560-1566.
  18. Sagasser MH., et al. “Self-entrustment: how trainees' self-regulated learning supports participation in the workplace”. Advances in Health Sciences Education4 (2017): 931-949.
  19. Smith AFR and VJ Fortunato. “Factors influencing employee intentions to provide honest upward feedback ratings”. Journal of Business and Psychology3 (2008): 191-207.
  20. Gordon RJ. “Launching Your Career in Medical Education”. NEJM Resident 360 (2022).
  21. Hoffman KG and JF Donaldson. “Contextual tensions of the clinical environment and their influence on teaching and learning”. Medical Education4 (2004): 448-454.
  22. Irby DM and L Wilkerson. “Teaching when time is limited”. BMJ 7640 (2008): 384-387.

Citation

Citation: Heleen M Staal., et al. “Practice What you Preach: Does the Orthopaedic Medical Practice Support Lifelong Learning?".Acta Scientific Orthopaedics 8.12 (2025): 05-12.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Heleen M Staal., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.




Metrics

Acceptance rate33%
Acceptance to publication20-30 days

Indexed In



News and Events


Contact US





Creative Commons License Open Access by Acta Scientific is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Based on a work at https://actascientific.com

ff

Acta-Publications

ff

© 2021 Acta Scientific, All rights reserved.