Mission Statement

Advancing Minimally Invasive Gynecology Worldwide

(Reviewed and Approved May 23, 2008)

VISION

The goal of the AAGL Advancing Minimally Invasive Gynecology Worldwide as an independent, membership, medical specialty society, is to serve women by advancing safe and efficacious minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic methods for managing gynecologic conditions through the integration of education, clinical practice, research, innovation, and dialogue.

Continuing Medical Education Mission Statement

PURPOSE

Focused on the ultimate goal of improving patient care in gynecologic medicine, AAGL recognizes the professional responsibility of gynecologists and other clinicians requires lifelong learning.  Accordingly, the AAGL provides a variety of continuing medical educational programs to ensure our target audience achieves this goal.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Educational activities are developed to meet the needs of gynecologists in practice and in training (gynecologic residents and fellows), as well as allied healthcare professionals in the field of gynecology.

CONTENT

AAGL's CME program integrates the latest advances in clinical practice, scientific research and technical innovation that impact learners by increasing knowledge, competence and performance. Ensuring professional practice gaps are addressed and coursework has a positive impact in practice is paramount.  Evaluating needs assessment data, course evaluations and expert opinions produces content that will meet the educational needs of the learner, producing the desired result. Our rigorous content criteria are as follows:

1. Through education in basic and advanced gynecologic endoscopic techniques, minimally invasive therapies, and noninvasive diagnostic testing, the knowledge and skill set of physicians and allied healthcare professionals will notably improve.

2. By critically examining and discussing diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical practices in gynecology and disseminating pertinent scientific and clinical research, clinicians will get vital information focused on improving professional practice.

3. Enabling clinicians to apply new concepts and techniques in-practice--matching their current and potential ability--ensures measurable changes in competence and performance. Through the valuable feedback of the learners, program content and format will be modified, expanded upon, and built collaboratively. Individual courses, as well as the overall educational framework, are produced with a continuous improvement model, thus ensuring desired outcomes are achieved, as gynecologic healthcare continues to evolve.

4. By identifying, planning and implementing ongoing program enhancements, coursework will evolve to meet learners’ imminent needs. Strategic and business development outside of the learning environment will be used to identify barriers to change. By making learners aware of these barriers, in an effort to eliminate or overcome them, better outcomes will be achieved.

5. By fostering responsible, reasoned interaction with medical instrument and pharmaceutical companies, managing commercial support and ensuring separation of promotion from education, we facilitate the development of new and innovative approaches to patient care. It encourages advances in medical devices, surgical instrumentation, and medical therapies, rather than commercial interests.

6. Providing a forum for clinicians, academia and other stakeholders to collaborate and grow will enhance effectiveness in the practice of gynecology. Disseminating accurate information in the area of minimally invasive gynecology to the public, government and insurance industry will build a vital framework for quality improvement. AAGL will be positioned to influence educational interventions in gynecology now and in the future.

TYPE OF ACTIVITIES

The AAGL educates learners through an annual scientific congress, free standing courses, The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology (JMIG), Internet CME, enduring materials, and affiliating with the Society of Reproductive Surgeons in supporting The Fellowship in Gynecologic Endoscopy.

The Annual Scientific Congress is a comprehensive educational program attended by an international group of physicians and allied healthcare professionals that employs:

1. In-depth Postgraduate Courses on basic and advanced topics in minimally invasive gynecology techniques with appropriate time scheduled for questions and answers.

2. Roundtable Discussions giving participants the opportunity to interact with faculty to discuss specific treatments or surgical procedures in small group discussions.

3. Panels and Debates to cover topics of current interest and to critically evaluate emergent diagnostic and surgical therapies in minimally invasive gynecology.

4. Refereed DVD’s covering established, as well as, emerging minimally invasive surgical procedures with appropriate time scheduled for questions and answers.

5. A Telesurgery Session provides the opportunity to observe exemplary surgical techniques and procedures in minimally invasive gynecology, which are televised from national, as well as, international locales.  The real-time format provides the opportunity for questions and answers between moderator, participants and operating surgeons.

6. Surgical Tutorials allow attendees to directly interact with leading experts who utilize digital and video imaging for instruction in a classroom setting.

7. The General Sessions address topics of widespread interest.

8. Scientific Poster Sessions, populated by refereed presentations, cover the entire spectrum of minimally invasive gynecology, with appropriate time scheduled for oral presentations as well as questions and answers.

Free Standing Courses, Fellowship Program, Journal and Internet CME as well as Enduring Materials attract an international audience with various instructional formats, from didactic lecture to hands-on in vitro or in vivo laboratory exercises. Course content varies, often covering specific areas of interest or by providing a comprehensive overview of a specific gynecologic topic.  These programs may employ:

1. Didactic lectures covering basic to advanced topics of interest in minimally invasive gynecology with appropriate time scheduled for questions and answers.

2. Video or digital media sessions presenting established and emergent techniques in minimally invasive surgery with appropriate time scheduled for questions and answers.

3. Roundtables allowing the participant to interact directly with faculty to discuss specific surgical and clinical areas of interest.

4. Televised surgery demonstrating exemplary surgical techniques in gynecologic endoscopy.

5. Hands-on in vitro models to simulate fundamental surgical techniques utilized during gynecologic endoscopy.

6. Hands-on in vivo models in a laboratory setting to provide living tissue to simulate surgical techniques and procedures during gynecologic endoscopy.

7. Instruction on in-depth evidence-based practice techniques, combining research with clinical expertise. There is often a focus on the larger context of women’s healthcare; quality improvement in a patient-centered, system-based approach.

EXPECTED RESULTS

The desired expectation of AAGL’s CME program is to enhance the learners’ knowledge; that is, their measurable competence and performance in-practice. To assist the learner in their ability to recognize, diagnose, treat, manage and/or appropriately refer patients with gynecologic concerns in a timely manner to effective treatment. The program results will dictate the future direction of the program as a whole, as well as the decision to produce specific courses on key areas of gynecologic treatment. By effectively meeting learner needs, strengthening core competencies and increasing the quality of patient care, we fulfill AAGL’s CME Mission.

ASSESSMENT OF RESULTS

Learners are asked, via pre- and post-test, course evaluations, outcomes questionnaires and frequent, comprehensive online (web site and email) surveys, to critically evaluate key aspects of the program and how it is meeting their needs. They make suggestions for program revisions and also identify topics for future courses through the needs assessment process. 

Critical aspects of the assessment include but are not limited to:

• Has AAGL’s implementation of its CME mission, program design and learning objectives been achieved?
• Was this program as fair and balanced as it should be? Were there any real or perceived conflict of interest, if so, how would you resolve this?
• Does this program address your own professional practice gaps?
• What format(s) create the ideal learning experience?
• What changes in faculty presentations would optimize this activity?
• What would help enrich the educational process in terms of changes in competence, performance and outcomes?
• Which aspects of this topic do you need more information about before you feel you can change your approach?
• Which practice strategies can we help you develop, or expand, with regard to this particular topic?
• What other topics do you feel should be addressed in future CME programs? Which ones do you feel have been adequately addressed?
• What do you feel would help you improve practice outcomes? What aspects have you, or will you, be implementing in your practice?
• What barriers, if any, prevent implementation of the tools presented?
• What would increase your satisfaction as a learner, and succeed in overall quality improvement? What, if anything, disappointed you?
• What do you feel AAGL should implement to create an optimal CME program?
• Provide specific examples of how this program has impacted your practice.

Through learner survey, as well as industry-specific statistical data and utilization of informatics, the overall program is tailored to learner need.