“The most inspiring and mind-blowing meetings ever:” Highlights of the 15^th SNI Baghdad Neurosurgery Online Meeting, from Participants’ Perspectives

Abstract

Background: Education by lectures has been standard for 100 years or more. Given the 21st century technology, people can connect with others around the world instantly, electronically. With the pandemic, teaching changed to one-way information transfer with the loss of interpersonal learning experience. SNI® and now SNI Digital™ have been experimenting with different forms of communication to transfer information. Methods: Using an interactive education model, a meeting for neurosurgeons in Baghdad was held for students, residents, and neurosurgeons, the first in Iraq for a number of years because of the disruption from the war there. A national and international faculty participated. Results: This 15th meeting of the series was described by 42 out of 60 participants as “The best conference I have ever attended.” That significant response highlights the importance of such meetings and how they can be at the highest level possible and be a recipe for success. Conclusion: The 15th meeting provides a focused analysis of the underlying characteristics leading to its success so that it can be duplicated.

SNI/SNI Digital-Baghdad neurosurgery educational series

“…[ 8 , 10 ] There is about one neurosurgeon for each 200,000 population, and unfortunately, some have left the country for safety. [ 4 ] This brain drain must be stopped nationally. History has shown that it is impossible for any civilization to survive with the loss of its best people.…”

“…They want hope for the future, the opportunity to dream for a better world, inspiration, and outstanding mentors. [ 4 ] Read the results of the recent 15 th SNI-B national meeting for more insight into the solution to the educational challenge for the developing countries. [ 4 ] The youth is the future of every country and in medicine and neurosurgery.…”

“…[ 4 ] Read the results of the recent 15 th SNI-B national meeting for more insight into the solution to the educational challenge for the developing countries. [ 4 ] The youth is the future of every country and in medicine and neurosurgery. These types of educational programs have the chance of reaching large numbers of people with worldwide participation.…”

“…The survey reported in this paper shows how the attendees of these monthly conferences reacted to the different types of interactions and discussions and how they were affected by the meeting. [ 4 ] In the same paper, the authors extend these educational experiments to the first modern neurosurgery national meeting in some years in Iraq and which was “The best meeting I had ever attended” by many attendees. The attendees heard talks by neurosurgeons from Iraq and one from the USA with some international discussants.…”

“…All the presentations were innovative and inspiring and allowed attendees to “dream” and “feel proud” of their country about what some had accomplished. [ 4 ] With the cooperation of Surgical Neurology International® (SNI)/ SNI Digital, more similar educational experiences are planned as alternatives to one-way Zoom teaching. The involvement of the audience in these presentations is crucial in making this educational experience satisfying.…”