EP1032 - The PSCRS Colorectal Caravan: Bridging the Gap in Colorectal Care

Purpose/Background: This study aimed to describe the participant feedback on the Philippine Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (PSCRS) Colorectal Caravan, an outreach workshop to different regions of the country designed to enhance local capacity for comprehensive colon and rectal cancer management. These are attended by practicing general surgeons and trainees with particular focus on the perceived relevance, satisfaction, and educational impact of interactive lectures and discussions, live surgical demonstrations, and hands-on laparoscopic and surgical stapling training.

Methods/Interventions: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among participants across 5 provincial sites. Sessions were rated using a 5-point Likert scale (5 = highest). The morning sessions often featured lectures on total mesorectal excision (TME), complete mesocolic excision with central vascular ligation (CME/CVL), total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT), and multidisciplinary team (MDT) management of colorectal malignancies. Often, topics (i.e., benign diseases) may be added as requested by the participants based on contextual relevance to the actual practice of colorectal surgery in their area. Afternoon sessions vary: one center offered an intensive hands-on laparoscopic and surgical stapling training while four others hosted live surgery demonstrations of complex colorectal procedures performed by high-volume specialists (i.e., PSCRS fellows). Over dinner, surgical trainees presented actual cases where an in-depth discussion leading to a development of a plan of management would ensue. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.

Results/Outcomes: A total of 204 attendees composed of trainees and practicing surgeons across 5 different localities have participated. Participant evaluations showed consistently high ratings, reflecting the Caravan's strong educational value. The overall workshop satisfaction had a mean score of 4.59. Clinical relevance mean rating was 4.75. The participants' expectations were met and rated with a mean score of 4.69. The laparoscopic and stapling sessions had a mean score of 4.42, while live surgery rating averaged 4.69. The dinner discussions were not evaluated.

Conclusion/Discussion: The PSCRS Colorectal Caravan successfully delivered comprehensive, high-quality surgical education on the management of colorectal diseases. This outreach model brings advanced training, technology exposure, and expert mentorship directly to surgeons in suburban and rural areas, promoting equitable capacity building and nationwide promotion and advancement of standards of care in colorectal surgery.

Table 1. Participant ratings reflecting the effectiveness of, and overall satisfaction with, the PSCRS Colorectal Caravan.
Table 1. Participant ratings reflecting the effectiveness of, and overall satisfaction with, the PSCRS Colorectal Caravan.
Figure 1. Geographic reach and operational framework of the PSCRS Colorectal Caravan. (A) Map of the Philippines indicating completed (red stars) and planned (yellow stars) sites. (B) The process flow of the regional surgical education and outreach program.
Figure 1. Geographic reach and operational framework of the PSCRS Colorectal Caravan. (A) Map of the Philippines indicating completed (red stars) and planned (yellow stars) sites. (B) The process flow of the regional surgical education and outreach program.