Validation of cadaver-based trauma surgery training for lifelong skill development

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Trauma Surgery

Background:

• Declining trauma cases and rise in non-surgical treatments limit traditional surgical training opportunities.
• Need for effective lifelong learning tools in trauma surgery identified.
• Cadaver-Based Educational Seminar for Trauma Surgery (C-BEST) evaluated as a training solution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of the C-BEST program.
• To evaluate C-BEST as a lifelong educational tool for both novice and experienced surgeons.

Main Methods:

• 117 clinicians participated in the C-BEST program at Hokkaido University (2017-2023).
• Participants included novice (median 5 years post-grad) and experienced (median 19 years post-grad) clinicians.
• Self-Assessment of Confidence Levels (SACL) scale used to measure confidence in 21 trauma techniques pre-course, immediately post-course, and 6 months later.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in SACL scores observed immediately after the C-BEST course.
• Sustained high confidence levels reported at the 6-month follow-up.
• Novice clinicians showed substantial skill acquisition; experienced clinicians reinforced existing skills.

Conclusions:

• C-BEST is a valuable tool for acquiring and retaining trauma surgery skills.
• The program offers an effective and sustained method for skill development across all career stages.
• Further research into C-BEST's long-term impact and broader applicability is recommended.