Assessing Retention in Vascular Shunt Placement Among General Surgery Residents: A Swine Model Study

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Veterinary Surgical Models
• Medical Training Assessment

Background:

• Vascular shunt placement is a critical skill for general surgery residents.
• Assessing skill retention is vital for effective surgical training programs.
• Animal models provide a valuable platform for surgical skill development and evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the retention of vascular shunt placement skills in general surgery residents.
• To assess the long-term proficiency of senior residents using an animal model (Sus scrofa).

Main Methods:

• Prospective, observational, performance-based assessment.
• Study conducted at the 59th Medical Wing.
• Voluntary participation of 5 senior academic military general surgery residents.

Main Results:

• Initial post-education shunt placement was significantly faster than pre-education (p=0.04).
• Shunt placement at six months post-assessment was significantly slower than the initial post-education assessment (p=0.01).

Conclusions:

• Formal education enhances initial proficiency in vascular shunt placement.
• Skill retention for vascular shunt placement declines over a six-month period.
• Continuous reinforcement and training are necessary to maintain surgical skill proficiency.