To great excitement on the part of leaders and members, the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) has launched its new Education Portal, the online hub for all SVS education content.
The portal links to SVS’s live education offerings, the new SVS OnDemand learning management system (LMS), the Video Library, and includes hours of on-demand lectures, videos and educational resources. “Education is right in your hands,” said Kellie Brown, MD, chair of the Education Committee, which spearheaded the project. “It’s a great resource for vascular surgeons to learn on the go.”
Online learning starts on the new SVS Education website page (vascular.org/Education). The new portal is the home for all of members’ educational needs, including links to live meetings and courses, such as the Vascular Annual Meeting, the Vascular Research Initiatives Conference (VRIC), and Coding and Reimbursement Workshop.
It is also the place to find the new SVS OnDemand and SVS Video Library; links to all SVS educational resources such as Journal of Vascular Surgery publications, guidelines and reporting standards; the Vascular Educational Self-Assessment Program (VESAP); the popular Audible Bleeding podcast; and more.
The two newest components to the site are SVS OnDemand and the Video Library.
SVS OnDemand is the Society’s new platform for online lectures from previous iterations of the Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM), courses, and webinars.
It also contains access to Vascular Atlas, with “just-in-time” surgical technique guides. Just-in-time learning is an approach to individual or organizational learning and development that promotes need-related training to be readily available exactly when and how it is needed by the learner.
The Video Library contains 54 procedural videos on surgical techniques that were presented at prior annual meetings.
The SVS hopes to add member, peer-reviewed technique videos in the future. At the time of its launch, SVS members will have access to nearly 300 sessions from previous VAM meetings, VRIC 2020 and the new Vascular Atlas.
“This is our easy, one-stop location for all SVS educational content,” said Brown. “The site makes it easy for our members to access quality information in their own time.”
Online access has become especially important since the onset of COVID-19, when in-person gatherings were canceled and content needed to be moved online to ensure SVS still met the educational needs of the vascular community, Brown added.
“Much thought went into not only organizing the content but also making sure the interface is accessible and user-friendly and the log-in process seamless,” she said. (Members log in with their SVS credentials.)
The committee has already started to lay the groundwork for phase II of the site development.
That will include the addition of non-surgery-related topics, such as practice management, wellness for vascular surgeons, even financial literacy.
“These are things surgeons need to know, in addition to clinical content,” said Brown. Though launching the site was a big moment, “this is, in truth, an evolution.”
“We’re excited that in the future, members will be able to contribute their own content for their fellow members to learn from and to provide members with an additional SVS resource to obtain CME credit. This site will change and continue to grow. The committee looks forward to member feedback and suggestions for other content.”
Q&A: Education Committee chair drills down on the details
Brown sat down with Beth Bales to answer some key questions about the new SVS education platform.
Q. Portal? Website? SVS OnDemand? I keep hearing these terms. What’s what?
A. The new Education Portal, vascular.org/Education, provides links to SVS’s Live Education, the new SVS OnDemand, the Video Library, and other education resources. These resources include hours of on-demand lectures, videos and just-in-time learning resources, as well as individual or organizational learning and development that is readily available exactly when and how it is needed by the learner.
Q. Tell me more about SVS OnDemand and the new SVS Video Library.
A. It also links to the new SVS OnDemand. This currently contains close to 300 select educational activities from the 2019 and 2020 annual meetings; materials from the 2020 VRIC and the new Vascular Atlas. The Video Library includes 54 videos that are “how I do it” videos and videos from the plenary session.
Q. How much does it cost?
A. During this inaugural launch, SVS members in good standing will be able to access VAM 2019, VRIC 2020, the Video Library and the Atlas for free. SVS ONLINE 2020 meeting content will be free to ONLINE attendees. Others may purchase access to that content via member/non-member pricing. Trainees may access all materials for free.
Q. Can I earn Continuing Medical Education or Maintenance of Certification credits via SVS OnDemand?
A. Not currently, but this will be available in the future.
Q. I am a non-member. Can I access the materials?
A. You can purchase VAM 2019 and 2020 content. All other content is a member benefit.
Q. Can I use a mobile device to access the content?
A. Yes
Q. How do I access everything?
A. Start at vascular.org/ Education. Use your SVS log-in credentials to access materials.
Q. What if I have questions?
A. The new SVS OnDemand site includes a “help page,” with the most frequently asked questions.
For additional assistance, email [email protected].
