Exploring the Application of Sculptural Techniques in Understanding Gender-Affirming Facial Surgery: A Hands-On...

To evaluate the effectiveness of a hands-on sculpture workshop in enhancing participants' comprehension of gender-affirming facial surgery (GAFS) by integrating artistic and surgical techniques.

A pre- and postworkshop study design was implemented, assessing participants' knowledge in 4 domains: aesthetic differences, surgical techniques, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and artistic techniques. Data were analyzed using Welch's t-tests and linear regression.

The workshop was conducted at an academic medical center as part of a plastic surgery educational initiative.

A total of 23 participants, including 14 medical students and 9 plastic surgery residents (PGY 1-6), were included. All participants completed both pre- and postworkshop assessments.

Significant improvements were observed across all domains, with mean scores increasing from pre- to postworkshop evaluations: aesthetic differences (2.52-3.83, p < 0.0001), surgical techniques (1.91-3.35, p < 0.0001), PROs (1.87-3.04, p = 0.0003), and artistic techniques (1.78-4.04, p < 0.0001). Among residents, a significant preworkshop relationship was observed between training year and surgical techniques knowledge (R² = 0.71, p = 0.001), which diminished postworkshop. All participants (100%) found the workshop valuable and would recommend it.

This study supports the integration of interdisciplinary, art-based workshops in GAFS education. By bridging technical precision with artistic perception, sculptural methods provide a promising, low-cost model for improving surgical training in gender-affirming care.