Ashok Agarwal1, Renata Finelli2, Damayanthi Durairajanayagam3, Kristian Leisegang4, Rakesh Sharma2, Sajal Gupta2, Neha Singh5, Andrea Belo6, Mahsa Darbandi7, Sarah Madani8, Simryn Covarrubias9, Sara Darbandi7, Raha Sadeghi9, Camila Pompeu10, Florence Boitrelle11,12, Hussein Kandil13, Ramadan Saleh14, Mohamed Arafa2,15, Paraskevi Vogiatzi16, Israel Maldonado Rosas17, Christina Anagnostopoulou18, Annapoorani Chockalingam19, Kelly Athayde Wirka20, Hassan N Sallam21, Rupin Shah22, Ralf Henkel2,23,24,25. 1. American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. agarwaa@ccf.org. 2. American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. 3. Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Selangor, Malaysia. 4. Department of Physiology, School of Natural Medicine, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa. 5. NOVA IVF, Gorakhpur, India. 6. Huntington Centro de Medicina Reproditiva S/A, Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. 7. Fetal Health Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran. 8. Department of Biology and Physiology of Organisms, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Science and Technnology, Houari Boumedien, Algiers, Algeria. 9. University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. 10. Instituto Ideia Fèrtil, Santo Andrè, Brazil. 11. Reproductive Biology, Fertility Preservation, Andrology, CECOS, Poissy Hospital, Poissy, France. 12. Paris Saclay University, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy-en-Josas, France. 13. Fakih IVF Fertility Center, Abu Dhabi, UAE. 14. Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt. 15. Department of Urology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. 16. Andromed Health & Reproduction, Fertility Diagnostics Laboratory, Maroussi, Athens, Greece. 17. Citmer Reproductive Medicine, IVF LAB, Mexico City, Mexico. 18. IVF Clinic "Akeso-Embryo ART", Athens, Greece. 19. Gene2Genome, Jacksonville, FL, USA. 20. Fertility & Endocrinology, Medical Affairs, EMD Serono, USA. 21. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria, Egypt. 22. Department of Urology, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India. 23. Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK. 24. Department of Medical Bioscience, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa. 25. LogixX Pharma, Theale, Reading, Berkshire, UK.
Abstract
PURPOSE: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Center for Reproductive Medicine (ACRM) transitioned its annual training in assisted reproductive technology (ART) from a hands-on, laboratory-based training course to a fully online training endorsed by the American College of Embryology. Here we describe our experience and assess the quality of an online training format based on participant outcomes for the first three modules of a planned series of online ART training. MATERIALS AND METHODS: These modules included manual semen analysis, sperm morphology and ancillary semen tests (testing for leukocytospermia, sperm vitality, and anti-sperm antibody screening). The virtual format consisted of lecture presentations featuring laboratory protocols with corresponding video demonstrations of routine techniques and best practices. Practical scenarios, troubleshooting, and clinical interpretation of laboratory results were also discussed. At the end of each module, an optional multiple choice question test was held as a prerequisite to obtain certification on the topics presented. Course quality was assessed using participant responses collected via online surveys. RESULTS: The digital delivery methods used were found to have largely or completely met the participants' expectations for all questions (>85%). The majority (>87%) of the participants either strongly agreed or agreed that the course content was well-structured with appropriate depth, and that their overall expectations of the course had been met. CONCLUSIONS: This training format appears to be a realistic teaching option to freely share highly specialized expertise and technical knowledge with participants from anywhere in the world with varying levels of competency or experience.
PURPOSE: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Center for Reproductive Medicine (ACRM) transitioned its annual training in assisted reproductive technology (ART) from a hands-on, laboratory-based training course to a fully online training endorsed by the American College of Embryology. Here we describe our experience and assess the quality of an online training format based on participant outcomes for the first three modules of a planned series of online ART training. MATERIALS AND METHODS: These modules included manual semen analysis, sperm morphology and ancillary semen tests (testing for leukocytospermia, sperm vitality, and anti-sperm antibody screening). The virtual format consisted of lecture presentations featuring laboratory protocols with corresponding video demonstrations of routine techniques and best practices. Practical scenarios, troubleshooting, and clinical interpretation of laboratory results were also discussed. At the end of each module, an optional multiple choice question test was held as a prerequisite to obtain certification on the topics presented. Course quality was assessed using participant responses collected via online surveys. RESULTS: The digital delivery methods used were found to have largely or completely met the participants' expectations for all questions (>85%). The majority (>87%) of the participants either strongly agreed or agreed that the course content was well-structured with appropriate depth, and that their overall expectations of the course had been met. CONCLUSIONS: This training format appears to be a realistic teaching option to freely share highly specialized expertise and technical knowledge with participants from anywhere in the world with varying levels of competency or experience.
Authors: Ashok Agarwal; Ramadan Saleh; Florence Boitrelle; Rossella Cannarella; Taha Abo-Almagd Abdel-Meguid Hamoda; Damayanthi Durairajanayagam; Ahmed M Harraz; Rupin Shah Journal: World J Mens Health Date: 2022-08-08 Impact factor: 6.494