Follow-up Survey of Participants Attending the Advanced Trauma Operative Management (ATOM) Course

Background: The ATOM Course was developed to educate surgeons about the surgical management of penetrating injuries. Its goals are to improve knowledge, self-confidence, and technical competence.

Methods: ATOM participants completed a 25-item questionnaire to assess self-efficacy (SE) for advanced trauma operative management before and immediately after taking the ATOM course. On follow-up, questionnaires were sent to ATOM participants. One was a 7-item survey to assess the value of the ATOM course to surgical practice. Another was the 25-item questionnaire to assess SE.

Results: Four items on the survey to assess the value of ATOM had mean scores > or = 4.0 and 3 had mean scores > 3.6. All had modes of 4.0 or greater. For all items, most respondents selected the agree options indicating positive assessments of the ATOM course to their surgical practice. For SE, the pre-ATOM mean SE score was 3.88 and the immediate post ATOM mean SE score was 4.57 (p < 0.05). The follow-up mean SE score was 4.47 indicating maintenance of SE (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: Follow-up data from ATOM participants indicate that respondents believe the ATOM course improved their ability to identify and repair traumatic injuries. They report they use the techniques and knowledge learned in ATOM and confidence remains high after the ATOM course. ATOM is well received as an effective teaching strategy for surgical education for the management of penetrating injuries.