Simulation Enhances Resident Preparedness Using Skin Cell Suspension Autograft

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Surgical simulation enhances skill acquisition for complex procedures.
• Simulation training is often overlooked for new device implementation.
• Burn surgery rotations present opportunities for novel training methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a simulation training program for the skin cell suspension autograft (SCSA).
• To assess the impact of SCSA simulation on surgery residents during their Burn rotation.

Main Methods:

• Residents engaged with instructional materials and videos prior to a supervised simulation lab session.
• A qualitative survey was administered post-rotation to gather feedback.

Main Results:

• Twelve residents completed the SCSA simulation training.
• Feedback indicated the simulation was well-paced (4.6/5.0), thorough (4.8/5.0), and increased confidence (4.4/5.0) while reducing apprehension (4.4/5.0).
• Residents successfully utilized the SCSA product in operating room procedures post-training.

Conclusions:

• The SCSA simulation training demonstrates significant potential for enhancing surgical resident confidence and procedural performance.
• This training may expedite resident independence, improve operative efficiency, and elevate trainee expertise.