Webinars as an alternative form of training
The total lack of knowledge about the virus and its effects, the lack of
scientific evidence, and the urgent need for direct information on the
management of different scenarios in the pandemic have translated into
great proactivity towards the creation of forums and activities of an
educational nature. Especially in the weeks following the worst moments
of the pandemic, it was not rare to receive invitations to seminars,
webinars, and other online medical events in which professionals from
all over the world participated.
The SECCE was no stranger to this trend; the boost that COVID-19 has
given ECMO therapy and its high implantation rate in Spain gave rise to
a first event on May 4, the ”Virtual Symposium: ECMO in COVID
patients”, in which the author (EPS) had the honor of participating
together with other Spanish colleagues and which was followed by another
international event organized by the Spanish Association of
Perfusionists and the Latin American Perfusion Association, “COVID-19:
New trends in perfusion”, with the participation of surgeons (Spain and
Germany) and perfusionists (Spain and Switzerland). Both were highly
successful in attendance and interactive participation by Spanish and
Latin American professionals, from different specialties and fields of
work.
As a culmination of the ECMO therapy training initiative, the SECCE has
organized the 1st Online Course “ECMO, the success of therapy”
(http://sectcv.es/category/formacion/simposio-virtual/)
with a global and multidisciplinary approach. Participating teachers
include cardiovascular surgeons (adult and pediatric), anesthetists,
intensivists, cardiologists, perfusionists, and intensive care nurses.
In five modules, the program covers all aspects related to the use of
ECMO:
- Module I: Indications and versatility of ECMO (indications, management
and cannulation)
- Module II: ECMO, state of the art (physiology, anticoagulation,
complications).
- Module III: Thinking out of the box? (Pediatric ECMO, ECMO in heart
donation).
- Module IV: New frontiers for ECMO (transplantation, transfers, ethical
aspects).
- Module V: Summary (lecture by Dr. Daniel Goldstein —Montefiore
Medical Center, NYC— and panel discussion with experts).
This need to acquire knowledge remotely has given a boost to the
Society’s online training offerings which, although already in
existence, have now been reinforced and expanded with new online courses
and seminars
(http://campuscardiovascular.sectcv.es)
about other aspects of cardiovascular surgery not directly related to
COVID-19.