Teaching intestinal transplantation in the rat for medical student

Technical difficulties hamper the widespread use of intestinal transplantation in rats. We evaluated the feasibility in training this microsurgical model for medical students. Thirty eight students were assessed. After information about intestinal transplantation in rats, they spontaneously agreed to be trained for this procedure. The course consisted of 4-h weekly lessons during 4-month period. The teaching process includes assessment in four phases: I) conception of intestinal transplantation and rat anatomy; II) basic microsurgery training; III) donor operation; IV) donor/recipient operation. Wistar rats were used as donors and recipients in one-step small bowel transplantation. All students (100%) reached phase II, seven students (18.42%) reached phase III and two students (5.26%) reached phase IV. Decreased interest about the theme, lack of time and patience, frustration and/or inability were all reasons given by the student that may have contributed to the low rate of success. Medical students achieved a low rate of completion for training in rat intestinal transplantation microsurgical procedures.