Learning Outcomes Following Sequential Video-Based and Cadaveric Training in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery: A Pre-post Educational Study

Introduction: Oncoplastic breast surgery requires technical skills that are difficult to acquire during conventional postgraduate training.We evaluated learning outcomes after a two-day workshop that sequenced video-based didactic teaching and supervised cadaveric training and described the change observed after each component.Methods: This single-group pre-post educational study included 46 practicing general surgeons and surgical residents.Cognitive (18 single-best-answer items) and affective (eight five-point Likert items) outcomes were assessed at baseline (T1), after the Day 1 video-based module (T2), and after the Day 2 cadaveric session (T3).Self-reported procedural ability was rated on a 32-item self-assessment instrument before and after the cadaveric session.Paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and the Friedman test were used.The primary outcome was the change in knowledge score from T1 to T3; all other comparisons were descriptive.Results: Knowledge scores (primary outcome) increased from 9.72 (SD 3.15) at baseline to 12.13 (SD 2.20) at the end of the program (mean gain 2.41, 95% CI 1.46 to 3.37; p < 0.001).Most of this change was observed after the video-based module (1.87, 95% CI 1.25 to 2.49); no significant further change was detected after cadaveric training (0.54, 95% CI -0.33 to 1.41; p = 0.216), although a modest gain cannot be excluded.Affective scores increased to a similar extent after both components (4.63 and 4.57 points; p = 0.921 for the difference), from 17.28 to 26.48 of 40 overall.Self-reported procedural ability increased after cadaveric training from 67.74 to 74.83 on 128 (mean gain 7.09, 95% CI 5.67 to 8.50; p < 0.001).Residents gained more knowledge than practicing surgeons (3.90 versus 1.16 points; p = 0.004).Lack of frozen-section services was the most frequently reported barrier to breast conservation (23.9%).Conclusions: Participation in a two-day sequential video-based and cadaveric oncoplastic breast surgery program was associated with short-term improvement in objective knowledge, confidence, and selfreported procedural ability.Because the design was uncontrolled and the components were delivered in a fixed order, these changes cannot be attributed to either component.Controlled studies with objective skill assessment and delayed follow-up are needed.