Vaginal Hysterectomy Suturing Skills Training Model and Curriculum.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Gynecologic Surgery Simulation

Background:

• Declining numbers of vaginal hysterectomies in obstetrics and gynecology training programs necessitate innovative teaching methods for vaginal surgical skills.
• This study describes the development and evaluation of a novel vaginal hysterectomy skills simulation curriculum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and assess a low-fidelity simulation curriculum for teaching vaginal hysterectomy surgical skills.
• To evaluate resident proficiency and perception of a simulated vaginal hysterectomy model.

Main Methods:

• A low-fidelity bench model was created using inexpensive materials to simulate four key vaginal hysterectomy suturing tasks.
• Expert surgeons defined proficiency levels, and 30 residents attempted the simulated tasks.

Main Results:

• Resident pass rates varied across tasks, with the continuous running stitch (task 4) having the highest success rate (46.7%).
• The majority of residents perceived the model as a realistic simulation of technical skills and believed laboratory training would enhance operating room performance.
• 92% of residents agreed that a vaginal surgery skills curriculum would be a beneficial component of their simulation education.

Conclusions:

• A proficiency-based vaginal hysterectomy skills simulation curriculum utilizing a low-fidelity model can serve as a valuable training and assessment tool.
• This approach offers a practical solution for enhancing vaginal surgical skills education in residency programs.