Basic open surgical training course

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

• Decreasing open surgical procedures necessitate training outside the operating room.
• Simulation offers a safe environment for surgical skill acquisition.
• A need exists to evaluate simulation-based training for basic open surgical skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a simulation-based course in basic open surgical skills.
• To describe the pedagogical foundation, content, and organization of the course.

Main Methods:

• Surgical trainees participated in a basic open surgical skills course.
• Participants were assessed pre-course and post-course using the Objective Structures Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS).
• Live sedated pigs were used for practical skill assessment during the course.

Main Results:

• Participant OSATS scores significantly increased from 12.1 (pre-test) to 19.9 (post-test) (p < 0.0001).
• The course achieved a 99% completion rate with an 11% failure rate.
• The course met 13 out of 14 requirements for effective simulation-based training.

Conclusions:

• The simulation course effectively teaches fundamental open surgical skills like knot tying, suturing, and dissection.
• The training significantly enhances trainees' surgical abilities.
• The course adheres to the standards of a well-structured simulation program.