A needs assessment for simulation in African surgical education

Area of Science:

• Global Surgery
• Surgical Education
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• There is a significant unmet surgical burden of disease in African countries.
• Global surgical education initiatives are crucial for addressing this need.
• Surgical training needs and the role of simulation in low-middle-income countries (LMICs) are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the surgical training needs of residents and faculty in African LMICs.
• To explore the potential role of simulation in augmenting surgical training in these regions.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for implementing advanced surgical techniques, such as laparoscopy.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi methodology surveyed program directors and associate program directors of Pan-African Association of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) general surgery residency programs.
• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with program directors/associate program directors and surgical residents.
• Descriptive analysis was used to identify key themes and illustrative examples regarding simulation in surgical training.

Main Results:

• Residents and faculty prioritized training in psychomotor skills for intracorporeal suturing, laparoscopic camera driving, and medial visceral rotation.
• There is a strong desire among trainees to learn laparoscopic surgery.
• Barriers include lack of staff familiarity with equipment, limited public buy-in, and absence of adaptable educational modules. Simulation can optimize operating room time and improve laparoscopic skills.

Conclusions:

• Surgical faculty and trainees in LMICs express interest in acquiring advanced surgical techniques like laparoscopy.
• Developing context-specific simulation curricula can effectively meet these training needs.
• Simulation offers a viable solution to enhance surgical education and address the unmet surgical burden in Africa.