Graduating from Laboratory to Operating Rooms-the Way Forward for Future Surgeons!

Changing healthcare and social scenarios are reducing the learning opportunities of surgical postgraduates in our country. Majority of surgical training centers in the developed world use laboratory training as an integral part of their curricula. However, in India, most of surgical residents are still trained by traditional apprenticeship model.

To describe the role of laboratory training in improving the competency of surgical postgraduates.

Laboratory dissection was used as an educational intervention for postgraduates in tertiary care teaching hospital.

Thirty-five (35) trainees from various surgical subspecialties performed cadaveric dissection led by senior faculty members. The perceived knowledge and operative confidence of trainees were assessed before and three weeks after the course using a five-point Likert scale. A structured questionnaire was administered to explore the experience of training. Results were tabulated in percentage and proportion. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was applied to find any difference between pre and post perception of knowledge and operative competence of participants.

Thirty four (34/35; 96%) were males; 65.7% (23/35) trainees demonstrated improvement in knowledge level after dissection (p < 0.0001) and 74.3% (26/35) in operative confidence (p < 0.0001). Majority believe that cadaveric dissection helps to improve knowledge of procedural anatomy (33/35; 94.3%) and enhances technical skill (25/35; 71.4%). Thirty participants (86%) rated cadaveric dissection as the best tool for surgical training of postgraduates better than operative manuals, surgical videos, and virtual simulators.

Laboratory training including cadaveric dissection is feasible, relevant, effective, and acceptable to postgraduate surgical trainees with few disadvantages, which can be taken care of. Trainees felt it should be made part of curriculum.