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J Reconstr Microsurg 2022; 38(04): 296-305
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1732427
Original Article

International Microsurgery Club Webinar Series—Bridging the Knowledge Gap during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cheyenne Wei-Hsuan Sung 
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center and Chang Gung Medical College and Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
,
Jung-Ju Huang 
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center and Chang Gung Medical College and Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
,
Shih-Hsuan Mao
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center and Chang Gung Medical College and Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
,
Susana Heredero
2   UGC de Cirugía Maxilofacial, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain
,
Wei F. Chen
3   Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
,
John Nguyen
3   Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
,
Nicolas Pereira 
4   Department of Plastic Surgery, Clínica Las Condes / Hospital del Trabajador, Santiago, Chile
,
Lisa Wen-Yu Chen 
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center and Chang Gung Medical College and Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
,
Jennifer An-Jou Lin
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center and Chang Gung Medical College and Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
,
Johnny Chuieng-Yi Lu
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center and Chang Gung Medical College and Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
,
Isao Koshima
5   International Center for Lymphedema, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
,
Tommy Nai-Jen Chang
1   Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Medical Center and Chang Gung Medical College and Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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Abstract

Background The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak shut down most conferences. To minimalize the influence, virtual meetings sprang up subsequently. International Microsurgery Club (IMC), as one of the largest professionals-only online microsurgery education groups worldwide, began to host regular weekend webinars during the pandemic to fill the knowledge gap. This study aims to discuss how webinars have fundamentally changed the way knowledge is delivered and exchanged.

Methods From February 29, 2020 to March 14, 2021, 103 IMC webinars were reviewed and analyzed in detail to determine the use, benefit, and effect. A comparison between webinars hosted by the different societies was made as well. A questionnaire survey focusing on attendees' behavior, attitude, and using habit about webinars was also made.

Results As for the 103 IMC webinar events, the peak participants were 112.3 people in average. The members requesting to join IMC abruptly increased during the pandemic, and the group activity increased dramatically. From the questionnaire (n = 68), the satisfaction level was high (8.88 ± 1.18/10). The respondents were most satisfied with the good quality of the speakers (73.5%). Not only hosts our webinar series but IMC also serves as the platform that welcomes webinars from other societies to share their information. In September 2020, International Microsurgery Webinar League was established via the significant webinar hosts, with more than 300 recorded webinar talks connected successfully.

Conclusion As the knowledge revolution driven by COVID-19 will continue, IMC will keep playing an essential role in exploring new and emerging opportunities to improve knowledge dissemination worldwide beyond the space-time boundary.

Keywords

COVID-19 - webinar - international microsurgery club

Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 17 December 2020

Accepted: 12 May 2021

Article published online:
07 September 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA

 

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