Modular emergency general surgery training: A pilot study of a novel programme.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Emergency Medicine
• Surgical Training

Background:

• Consensus guidance recommends mandatory emergency general surgery (EGS) training modules for specialist registrars (StRs).
• The impact of these EGS modules on registrar training requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a focused 4-week EGS module on StRs' surgical training.
• To assess the number of emergency operations and Procedure Based Assessments (PBAs) performed during the module and the training year.

Main Methods:

• Eleven StRs participated in a 4-week EGS module alongside standard on-call duties.
• Data collected included indicative emergency operations and validated PBAs performed.
• Outcomes were compared between the EGS module period and the entire training year.

Main Results:

• StRs performed a median of 11 laparotomies during the EGS module, contributing over one-third of total emergency laparotomy experience.
• Significantly more PBAs for laparotomy and colectomy were completed during EGS modules compared to on-call duties (32% vs 14% and 48% vs 22%, respectively).
• No significant differences in outcomes were observed between junior and senior StRs.

Conclusions:

• Focused EGS modules substantially enhance specialist registrar training in emergency surgery.
• These modules provide a significant portion of essential emergency surgical experience and assessment opportunities.
• The findings offer a baseline for future modular EGS training program development.