There is compelling evidence to suggest that undergraduate surgical education may fail to provide appropriate instruction in basic surgical principles and skills. We completed a descriptive, cross-sectional survey of stakeholder groups (surgeon educators and recent medical school graduates) to assess the perceived relevance and learning for surgical principles, surgical skills, ...

AIMS: To measure the productivity and factors associated with high productivity of trichiasis surgeons. METHODS: A standardised, pretested questionnaire was posted to all trichiasis surgeons trained in Tanzania at the address listed at the time of training, and then followed up by post and telephone with those who did not ...

Virtual reality simulation in surgical training has become more widely used and intensely investigated in an effort to develop safer, more efficient, measurable training processes. The development of virtual reality simulation of surgical procedures has begun, but well-described technical obstacles must be overcome to permit varied training in a clinically ...

BACKGROUND: Variations in the techniques of bariatric surgery, coupled with the lack of a common database, has led to variable and, sometimes negative, outcomes from bariatric surgery. Thus, in November 2003, the American Society for Bariatric Surgery established Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) as an independent nonprofit entity for quality control ...

Surgery has had a long history and rich heritage in its practice and training. From a craft based vocation some 500 years ago, it has evolved into a noble profession based on science. The remarkable scientific and technological advances during the last century have made surgery safer and the quality ...

John B. Murphy (1857-1916), one of the most outstanding and controversial surgeons of his age, was a product of the strong clinical programs that developed in Chicago in the late 19th century. Heavily influenced by Christian Fenger, surgeon and surgical pathologist, he went to Europe for training under Theodore Billroth ...

Although immunohistochemistry (IHC) has become an integral component of the surgical pathology laboratory and practice, it remains a subspecialty in search of a definition. The rapid expansion of this discipline is continually contributing to the struggle of interested pathologists and technologists to identify the proper working conditions of antibody reagents ...

Surgical competence and its assessment is one of the most hotly debated topics engaging the profession. In the current climate of diminishing working hours and shorter training, the surgical profession is having to address the complex issue as to how surgery as a craft specialty should be taught, and how ...

BACKGROUND: The technical skills of surgical trainees are difficult to assess and compare objectively. This study involved a structured, multistation, technical skills examination that enables the stratification of surgical trainees. METHODS: Twenty-two surgeons (five basic surgical trainees, eight junior specialist trainees, four senior specialist trainees and five consultants) participated in ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has mandated implementation of six new competencies in resident training in the United States. An implementation strategy is proposed to teach and assess cataract surgical competence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An intradepartmental Task Force for the ACGME competencies reviewed the ...

Background: The surgical work output in Uganda is qualitatively and quantitatively inadequate. The number of surgeons is estimated at 100 for a population of over 26 million Ugandans. This paper reports on how to improve recruitment of surgical trainees and training of surgeons in Uganda, focusing on perceptions of potential ...

A mentor serves as role model, counselor, and advocate for an understudy or protégé. The art and science of mentoring have been investigated most thoroughly in the educational literature, yet there are unique situational and individual considerations in the surgical arena that may warrant special consideration. The general attributes of ...

Residents completing colon and rectal surgery training should take seriously the terms of contracts offered to them. Contracts should specify how and how much salary will be paid, what benefits the surgeon will receive, and what services are to be provided. However, contracts frequently fail to disclose what costs the ...

BACKGROUND: Microvascular anastomosis using 10-0 nylon needs a higher level of technical dexterity compared with routine neurosurgical maneuvers. Although this technique remains an important part of treating complex intracranial aneurysms or cerebrovascular disease, the surgeon's clinical experience in using this technique is not so common. METHODS: To improve dexterity and ...

In Canada and the United States, the relevance and utility of training objectives as perceived by practising surgeons is rarely examined. We sought to determine if urology residency training objectives reflect the broad realities of urologic practice. A survey, based on the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada ...

Quality in surgical pathology may be defined as accurate, timely, and complete reports. Achieving quality requires substantial investment in the basic structure and in the people who undertake surgical pathology. Quality assurance and improvement works best when it is woven into the systems of surgical pathology with well informed, well ...

Residents traditionally acquire surgical skills through on-the-job training. Minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques present additional demands to master complex surgical procedures in a remote 2-dimensional venue. We examined the effectiveness of a brief warm-up laparoscopic simulation toward improving operative proficiency. Using a "Poor-Man's Laparoscopy Simulator," 12 Ob/Gyn residents and 12 medical ...

Significant change is underway in surgical training programs. Many educators believe that an outcomes-based approach to surgical education best addresses the need for greater public accountability and patient safety in surgical education. To achieve this end, surgical educators need to understand the basic principles of curriculum design and demonstrate a ...

Surgical education has always been challenging and is being made more difficult with the changes in the surgical environment. In the past decade, the number of patients available for educational purposes has decreased because of the development of technology that has significantly reduced their time of stay in the hospital ...

To ensure the integrity of gynecologic surgical practices and patient safety, changes need to be made in the training of gynecologic surgeons, both in residency and continuing surgical education. Although society demands competency in the training and continuing education of airline pilots, little is done in comparison to ensure competency ...

At present, surgical educators can readily assess knowledge with multiple-choice examinations, and inanimate models can be used to assess technical skills. Clinical judgment and reasoning are indispensable skills used by expert surgeons to solve ill-defined problems encountered in the emergency department, clinic, and operating room. The Script Concordance Test, a ...

The rapid evolution of catheter-based technologies during the last 5 years has created a critical need for development of effective resident level and postgraduate education programs in both open and endovascular techniques and associated cognitive and clinical skills. Currently, significant variability exists in endovascular training formats and in the number ...

The operating room is the universally established forum for learning surgical skills. It is the least structured and studied format, however, for teaching surgery. Establishing mutual, clear goals and expectations with residents or fellows before each case and reviewing their performance immediately after the case maximizes learning in the operating ...

Clinical trials directed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of carotid artery stenting (CAS) have accelerated development of didactic and technical training programs for both newly trained and experienced vascular surgeons. This report reviews the current status of guidelines for CAS and the evolution of related educational programs necessary to ...

Implementation of the European Working Time Directive and the Modernising Medical Careers initiative will mean junior surgeons must be trained in fewer hours over a shorter period. For this reason, junior surgeon training opportunities must be optimized. We undertook a departmental audit to identify where opportunities to train senior house ...

BACKGROUND: Morbidity and mortality conferences historically have been a paramount meeting for education and quality assurance within surgical departments of teaching institutions. The purpose of this survey was to assess the present educational value and the quality assurance aspect of surgical mortality conferences. METHODS: Surveys were sent to every academic ...

Delineating those factors that enhance a student's surgical experience during medical school may be important to attracting "the best and the brightest" to surgery programs. Therefore, understanding the differences between an excellent and poor student evaluation from the student perspective is critical to surgical education, yet it remains ill defined. ...

Robotic radical prostatectomy is increasingly becoming a popular surgical treatment modality for men with clinically localized prostate cancer. Establishing a robotic prostatectomy program is a tremendous undertaking for any institution requiring both financial support and a dedicated operating room team. A structured approach to learning robotics is paramount in order ...

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound has a wide variety of applications in surgery, but until recently few surgeons received any formal training in its use. To facilitate incorporation of ultrasound into surgical practice, the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) developed an ultrasound educational program. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ...

BACKGROUND: General surgeons can supplement traditional gross anatomy instruction by using laparoscopy to provide clinical correlations. Early, positive interaction with surgeons may stimulate student interest in this field. METHODS: Basic laparoscopy was performed on fresh cadavers for first year medical students in gross anatomy over 2 consecutive years. Surgical residents ...

BACKGROUND: The number of women reaching top ranks in academic surgery is remarkably low. The purpose of this study was to identify: 1) barriers to becoming a female surgical leader; 2) key attributes that enable advancement and success; and 3) current leadership challenges faced as senior leaders. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews ...

The da Vinci (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) surgical system is being used by an increasing number of surgeons across several surgical specialties. The robotic interface is different not only to open surgery, but also to laparoscopy because it involves remote surgical control, stereoscopic vision, and lack of haptic feedback. ...

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has virtually replaced conventional open cholecystectomy as the gold standard for symptomatic cholelithiasis. The laparoscopic approach brings numerous advantages at the expense of higher complication rates, especially in training facilities. This comparative 18-month review examines the outcomes of 52 cholecystectomies performed by a single surgical resident at the ...

The training of general surgical residents has been a relatively stable process for the past several decades. However, a variety of forces have caused several recent changes in the education of general surgeons and more potentially radical alterations have been recommended by some surgical leaders. Much of the initiative for ...

OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to compare categorical general surgery applicants with applicants in other specialties regarding their final specialty-choice ranking for residency positions. METHOD: The authors analyzed the 2004-match year applicant-pool data from the Electronic Residency Application Service and Common Application Service as well as rank-list data from the National ...

During the past decade, the clinical applications of laparoscopic surgery in urology have been growing steadily. The laparoscopic version of various procedures, such as nephrectomy, is becoming the standard of care. This has led to an increased need for laparoscopic training in urology and focused the attention on the various ...

All trainees are required to keep a logbook as a record of the procedures they have carried out during their surgical training. However, the current logbook is only a record of work carried out and not of the outcome of the operations. It does not prepare the trainee for either ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) training in improving the surgical skills of medical students and gynecologic trainees. DESIGN: A prospective observational study to assess the changes observed in objectively measured surgical performance after VR training. SETTING AND POPULATION: University teaching hospital and the laboratories of the ...

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to describe bariatric surgeons in the United States today and to determine whether those who are members of a major bariatric surgery specialty society differ from nonmembers. METHODS: We performed a national survey of a 50% cross-sectional random sample of all general surgeons in the ...

BACKGROUND: Skillful surgical care demands proper patient assessment and decision-making. These skills are honed through long hours and years of clinical practice. A decrease in work hours is reducing the number of cases managed by medical students and residents. We have developed a set of interactive, web-based teaching modules to ...

Icelandic surgeons provide a wide range of modern surgical services with excellent results. How can a nation of fewer than 300,000 persons accomplish this? The main reasons are a thriving economy, a high standard of living and education, and the training of surgeons. All Icelandic surgeons receive their training overseas, ...

Hospitals and professional bodies require a culture that supports surgeons in their quest for knowledge, and provides the technological and educational environment in which they can promote evidence-based surgery. Surgeons must influence the development of their local information technology systems for data collection and outcome analysis, and deliver training programs ...

Understanding the issues associated with surgical epidemiology,knowledge management, and evidence-based surgical practice has implications for clinicians in the community, surgeons in large metropolitan hospitals, surgeon scholars, and the academic surgeon. All need to have some understanding of not only the evaluation of the evidence and how to find it but, ...

BACKGROUND: Opportunities to acquire knowledge and skills in new technology are limited for cardiothoracic surgeons after completion of residency. In 2000 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American Association for Thoracic Surgery Joint Committee for New Technology Assessment accepted an educational grant from the Foundation for Advanced Medical Education to implement and ...

Although nationally recognized learning objectives for undergraduate surgical education exist, the extent to which Canadian medical schools follow these guidelines has never been established. We distributed a survey to all program directors and clinical-teaching-unit coordinators for undergraduate surgery at Canada's 16 medical schools, and subsequently assessed the perceived emphasis placed ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) and robotic assisted radical prostatectomy (RLRP) based on personal experience and a review of the literature. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Own experience at one European and one American LRP-center includes more than 2000 cases. We performed a MEDLINE search reviewing the ...

BACKGROUND: There is currently a need for objective measures of surgical competence. Such measures should assess knowledge, judgment, and manual skills. The Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) program was developed by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons to meet these criteria. The FLS assessment includes a multiple-choice cognitive ...

BACKGROUND: To provide evidence of the status of bariatric surgical education in the accredited surgery training programs in the United States. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent by mail to the 251 accredited surgery residency training programs, including the 48 minimally invasive surgery fellowship programs, in the United States. RESULTS: There ...

We evaluated the way in which medical students interacted with a surgical education Website. Ten medical students on their paediatric surgery rotation were asked to study online a chapter on intussusception in young children, for a period of 1 h. The computer was connected by video link to a video-recorder ...

Teleoperated robots for minimally invasive surgery make surgeons loose direct contact with the patient. We are developing a handheld, dexterous surgical robot that can be controlled with one hand only, while standing at the operating table. The instrument is composed of a master part (the handle) and a slave part ...