A technical-skills course for 1st-year residents in general surgery: a descriptive study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

• Traditional surgical resident training faces challenges due to limited operating room time, complex procedures, and medicolegal issues.
• Developing effective methods to teach operative skills is crucial for surgical education.
• Operative skills are fundamental for surgical residents' competence and patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of a structured technical-skills program for general surgery residents.
• To provide surgical residents with foundational surgical techniques in a simulated environment.
• To evaluate resident feedback on the surgical skills training program.

Main Methods:

• A 3-year technical-skills program was implemented for 28 first-year general surgery residents.
• The program combined didactic sessions on sutures and staplers with hands-on "wet lab" sessions.
• Wet labs covered patient preparation, aseptic technique, anastomosis, hemostasis, and emergency management over 8 weeks annually.

Main Results:

• Residents demonstrated improved surgical technique and skills following the program.
• The program's overall value, teaching effectiveness, and understanding of surgical principles were rated highly by residents.
• Residents reported positive learning experiences but noted concerns with live animal use and insufficient practice time.

Conclusions:

• The developed surgical-skills program shows demonstrated efficacy in enhancing resident operative abilities.
• Simulation-based surgical training can effectively supplement traditional operating room experience.
• Further evaluation is required to optimize the program, addressing resident-cited limitations for improved effectiveness.