Six National University Consortium in Liver Transplant Professionals Training (SNUC-LT) Program in Japan

Area of Science:

• Surgical training and education
• Transplant surgery
• Hepatobiliary surgery

Background:

• Lack of structured public training programs for transplant surgeons in Japan.
• Critical need for specialized training to optimize liver transplant outcomes and nurture young surgeons.
• Development of a comprehensive, national liver transplant training initiative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the concepts, structure, curriculum, and outcomes of a novel liver transplant training program in Japan.
• To establish a structured, collaborative training framework for future liver transplant professionals.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of the Six National University Consortium in Liver Transplant Professionals Training (SNUC-LT) program in 2014.
• A 3-year curriculum involving 6 national universities, focusing on transplant theory and surgical practice.
• Utilized a cooperative agreement for trainees to gain experience at high-volume centers.

Main Results:

• Three trainees successfully completed the 3-year SNUC-LT curriculum.
• Average of 59 hours of lectures and participation in 44 liver transplant surgeries and 51 liver resections per trainee.
• Trainees achieved certification as skilled liver transplant surgeons.

Conclusions:

• The SNUC-LT program represents the first nationally supported, structured training initiative for liver transplant surgeons in Japan.
• The multicenter approach enhanced trainees' knowledge, surgical skills, and communication abilities in liver transplantation.
• This program provides a robust model for developing expert liver transplant surgeons.