Industry‑sponsored courses can facilitate hands-on exposure and expert-led discussion of new technology, additional operative skill practice and networking with practicing vascular surgeons leading workshops. However, as participants (i.e. vascular surgery residents/fellows, medical students and even early career vascular surgeons) it is important we recognize the ethical implications of what participation in such courses entails.
Incorporating my own personal experience as a senior resident who has participated in these workshops, I found that having a few goals in mind prior to participation can mitigate the undue influence we may all be susceptible to.
Know what you want to get out of it before you sign up
If you are unfamiliar with the product and would like to have an opportunity to use the company’s device or better inform setting of use/appropriate patient selection for the product, many of these courses are a great setting to pursue that. If your goal is to network with the physicians that will lead the course or learn from other interventionalists who have different experience with use of the products, these courses also provide the platform to accomplish this. But it is important that you keep those specific goals in mind when selecting the specific course. Simply signing up for these courses without goals in mind puts you at risk of “just being there because you can” which not only wastes the time of those putting the course together, but also, ultimately, your own. It’s important to remember that your participation informs your ability to participate in other courses that may be of more interest or be of greater use to you in the future.
Be skeptical of the devices you are introduced to and do your due diligence in understanding the technology before attempting to utilize it in clinical settings
I have returned from a course myself eager to share my new knowledge with attendings and attempt to find a use for the technology I had just learned about. But it’s important to remember that your responsibility is first and foremost to the patient and their safety. Unless you feel absolutely comfortable using that new technology it is not in anyone’s best interest to use it for the first time just because you now know about it. This is often where ascertaining the opinions and advice of the providers who have used this technology before, especially during the course case discussions, is paramount. It is also important to discuss with your local representative on their own comfort with the technology before suggesting its use, as having someone with practical experience in trouble shooting the technology will best facilitate your first use of it. The worst thing you can do is to attempt to use technology that you yourself don’t have a background in and having it either be a waste of resources (i.e. doesn’t deploy correctly/not significantly impactful) or that ultimately harms the patient due to incorrect use.
Talk to your local representatives about their perception of the course beforehand
Often, if someone you have worked with often suggests the course to you it is because they know at your experience level and point in training, you will be able to benefit from the training and information offered. They are the best resource in knowing what the course could offer or advising you if there would be a better fit from another option.
Prioritize courses with an animal model/cadaver lab component
As trainees, we can never be too prepared for our chance to participate or prove ourselves in the operating room. Each time I have the opportunity to participate in cadaver labs, I feel genuinely better prepared for practical steps and use of specific products in the operating room. If this option is available, it is often never a waste of time. Take the chance to get experience in using particular products even if you have seen them used before, as deployment on your own requires familiarity in steps and troubleshooting of the product that you can gain experience with through these types of courses.
In the field of vascular surgery, there is always new technology we could all be better aware of and better equipped to use when the appropriate patient comes along. Industry sponsored trainee courses offer a chance for those of us with a less robust background to better understand how to integrate new technology into our practice. And the additional benefit of networking with current physicians and learning from their own experience using such products can be invaluable. However, being aware of the environment you are in and how to get the most out of what you participate in is crucial in making these courses benefit you. Ultimately, we aim to practice the same discretion our supervisors and future vascular colleagues have employed in their own relationships with industry while maximizing these relationships during our training.
