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Updated: Apr 11, 2026
Emergency Undocking in Robotic Surgery: A Simulation Curriculum
Published on: May 20, 2018
Introduction of a fresh cadaver laboratory during the surgery clerkship improves emergency technical skills
Saman Nematollahi1, Stephen J Kaplan2, Christopher M Knapp3
1The University of Arizona College of Medicine, 1501 N Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Background:
Student acquisition of technical skills during the clinical years of medical school has been steadily declining. To address this issue, the authors instituted a fresh cadaver-based Emergency Surgical Skills Laboratory (ESSL).
Methods:
Sixty-three medical students rotating through the third-year surgery clerkship participated in a 2-hour, fresh cadaver-based ESSL conducted during the first 2 days of the clerkship. The authors evaluated students utilizing both surgical skills and written examination before the ESSL and at 4 weeks post ESSL.
Results:
Students demonstrated a mean improvement of 64% (±11) (P < .001) and 38% (±17) (P < .001) in technical skills and clinical knowledge, respectively. When technical skills were compared between cohorts, there were no differences observed in both pre- and post-testing (P = .08).
Conclusions:
A fresh cadaver laboratory is an effective method to provide proficiency in emergency technical skills not acquired during the clinical years of medical school.
