Plastics Makes Perfect: A Collaborative, Cost-effective Approach to Multilevel Cadaveric Learning

Medical students are losing hands-on experience during surgical clerkships, and residents and faculty are expected to teach them with minimal educational training. A multilevel cadaveric curriculum (MCC) was implemented to improve surgical education for all groups.

In the MCC, a senior resident verbally guided 2 medical students through a procedure on a cadaver, whereas a junior resident performed the procedure on the contralateral side under faculty guidance. Educational benefits were assessed via pre- and postsurveys, with costs shared between surgical departments.

Six MCC laboratory sessions were performed from 2023 to 2024, with a survey response rate of 89.6% (173 of 193). The laboratory sessions increased medical students' confidence in identifying procedural anatomy (3.9 versus 5.3, P < 0.0001), using surgical instruments (4.3 versus 5.3, P < 0.0001), and assisting in the operating room (4.8 versus 5.6, P < 0.0001). Both junior and senior residents, respectively, noted increased confidence in marking incisions (3.1 versus 5.6, P < 0.0001; 4.9 versus 6.2, P < 0.0001), identifying neurovascular structures (2.7 versus 5.1, P < 0.0001; 4.6 versus 6.0, P < 0.0001), completing procedures (2.0 versus 4.3, P < 0.0001; 4.0 versus 5.6, P < 0.0001), and teaching medical students (2.1 versus 4.3, P < 0.0001; 3.8 versus 5.5, P < 0.0001). Faculty reported an increase in overall confidence in teaching ability (6.2 versus 6.5, P = 0.006) and providing feedback (6.2 versus 6.5, P = 0.032).

This laboratory was a beneficial educational experience for medical students, residents, and faculty, with improved cadaveric access achieved through cost sharing.