Education and training in microsurgery: a current global overview

Microsurgical skills are challenging to acquire and maintain, also presenting significant educational differences among practitioners. By exploring the current state of microsurgical training from the surgeon's perspective (including demographics, education experience, and infrastructure details), this paper aims to give a first piece of information to enrich and promote debate and research.

A comprehensive literature review was conducted to synthesize prepublished data on microsurgical training. Following this initial step and adhering to international guidelines for survey research, a new survey was designed to update existing information and address identified data gaps. The survey was distributed via personal contacts and scientific forums, ensuring respondent anonymity. It included exploratory questions across the following descriptive areas: (1) respondent demographics; (2) training experiences; (3) microsurgical knowledge; and (4) training center characteristics.

The survey gathered responses from 72 individuals across 25 countries and 9 specialties. Expertise of the participants was evenly distributed: 36.2% were trainees or recent graduates, 33.3% had an intermediate level, and 30.4% were experienced professionals. A unanimous consensus was reached on the superior efficacy of team training. Nearly half (43%) reported a lack of training facilities in their cities, while 15% identified financial constraints and 14% accessibility issues as major obstacles. Most participants (85%) expressed that microsurgical technique learning/training should be a priority.

This exploratory international survey offers an initial glimpse into the underexamined field of microsurgical training. Based on a modest sample, the findings reveal disparities in access, infrastructure, and instructional methods. Though preliminary, the data aim to spark discussion and guide future, more comprehensive research efforts.