Improving Microsurgery Foundational Skills Acquisition Through Short Simulation Courses in Rwanda

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Microsurgery Training
• Global Surgery

Background:

• Microsurgery is crucial for reconstructive surgery, but training is limited in sub-Saharan Africa.
• A 2-day simulation-based microsurgery course was conducted in Kigali, Rwanda.
• The course aimed to assess the feasibility and impact of short-term microsurgery training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a simulation-based microsurgery course on surgical trainees' skills.
• To assess changes in comfort, confidence, and anxiety levels related to microsurgery.
• To gather qualitative feedback on the course's perceived value and suggest improvements.

Main Methods:

• Pre- and posttraining surveys using a 0-100 Likert scale assessed 6 core microsurgical skill domains and anxiety.
• Paired analysis was performed using Wilcoxon rank sum tests.
• Qualitative feedback was collected through participant responses.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant improvements (P < 0.05) were observed in participants' comfort and confidence across all skill domains.
• A significant decrease in anxiety (P < 0.02) was reported by participants.
• Qualitative feedback indicated high satisfaction, with requests for more frequent and earlier integration of microsurgery training.

Conclusions:

• Short-duration, simulation-based microsurgery training positively impacts technical confidence and psychological readiness in surgical trainees.
• Findings support the feasibility and importance of expanding structured microsurgical education in sub-Saharan Africa.
• The study advocates for integrating microsurgery training into national surgical training frameworks.