The Fundamentals of Communication in Surgery

NCT06654310 | Enrolling By Invitation

• 2 other identifiers: 2024-0620A539750
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 600
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this observational study is to evaluate the impact of the FCS curriculum on achieving the learning objectives and resident reported self-efficacy with communication skills and determine the scalability of the training across a range of general surgery training programs

Conditions

Communication Research; Communication Programs

Keywords

Surgical Trainees; Fundamentals of Communication in Surgery; FCS; Best Case/Worst Case; BC/WC; Better Conversations

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Trainee Reaction to the Training

  Surgical trainees will complete a 5-item survey on a scale of 1-5 (1= strongly disagree, 5= strongly agree). Total scores range from 5-25, with higher scores indicating greater acceptability of the curriculum.

  Day of training through 2 months post-training

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Trainee Self-Efficacy - Ability

  Before training, directly after training, and 2 months post-training

• Receipt of Curriculum

  1 day of training

• Performance of Skills

  Baseline (before training), directly after training, and 2 months post-training

• Fidelity to the Intervention

  1 day of training

• Trainee Self-Efficacy - Preparedness

  Before training, directly after training, and 2 months post-training

Study Arms (1)

Learners

All general surgery trainees at each institution will have access to the training program as part of their regularly scheduled educational curriculum, regardless of training year or status as a categorical resident.

Behavioral: Delivery of FCS Skills Curriculum

Interventions

Delivery of FCS Skills Curriculum BEHAVIORAL

The UW study team will conduct two 2-hour train-the-trainer sessions with all surgical attendings who have committed to participation as a trainer in the FCS curriculum. The designated trainer will deliver each 2-hour session during the existing formal educational time for residents. If existing protected educational time will not allow for a 2-hour training session, the sessions can be delivered in two 1-hour sessions. These sessions will be incorporated into the curriculum similar to all other formal training provided to residents with the same expectations to attend. Each 2-hour FCS session starts with a 30-minute exercise in empathic communication. The remaining 90 minutes are devoted to skills that support decision making about surgery.

Learners

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants will be from each participating site.

You may qualify if:

• surgical attendings with an interest in surgical education
• surgery trainees

You may not qualify if:

• none

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Wisconsin, Madison: lead
• Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation: collaborator
• University of Oklahoma: collaborator
• University of Pittsburgh: collaborator
• University of South Florida: collaborator
• West Virginia University: collaborator
• Duke University: collaborator
• Association for Academic Surgery: collaborator
• Inova Fairfax Medical Campus: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Communication

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

• Margaret (Gretchen) L Schwarze, MD, MPP

  University of Wisconsin, Madison

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE ONLY
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 9, 2024
• First Posted: October 23, 2024
• Study Start: September 16, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2027
• Last Updated: September 30, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)