Advancing Military Surgical Education: A Decade of Innovation, 2015-2025

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Military Medicine

Background:

• U.S. military surgical residency programs face unique challenges in preparing residents for combat casualty care.
• Educational innovations have been implemented to enhance clinical competence and deployment readiness.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate advancements in U.S. military surgical residency training from 2015-2025.
• Focus on educational interventions and their impact on resident preparedness.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of literature from PubMed and Scopus.
• Included studies evaluating educational interventions in U.S. military graduate medical education programs.
• Focused on outcomes like competency, readiness, and skill acquisition.

Main Results:

• Fifteen studies met inclusion criteria, highlighting innovations like simulation-based training, deployment readiness curricula, and mentorship.
• Interventions showed measurable improvements in resident confidence, performance, and readiness.
• Key areas included trauma, OB/GYN, and urology training.

Conclusions:

• Military surgical education has shifted towards evidence-based innovations to meet operational demands.
• Further standardization and longitudinal outcomes research are necessary to sustain progress.