Louise Kenny1, Karen Booth2, Kathrin Freystaetter2, Greta Wood3, Gary Reynolds3, Sridhar Rathinam4, Narain Moorjani5. 1. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Lkenny@doctors.net.uk. 2. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom. 3. Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom. 4. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom. 5. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess targeted simulation courses, including live animal operating, as complementary training tools with regard to 2 key surgical skills in early cardiothoracic surgeon training. METHODS: Twenty UK surgical trainees (equivalent to cardiothoracic surgery resident physicians in the United States) in their first year of residency training were evaluated. Assessment of skills in pulmonary wedge resection and cardiopulmonary bypass were undertaken before and after 2 boot camp-style courses, including live animal operating (boot camp 1 and boot camp 2). Resident performance was evaluated by surgical trainers using objective structured assessment of technical skills matrices. Trainers completed a survey on skill development and trainer confidence in the trainee precourse and postcourse. RESULTS: Trainee assessment scores pre- and postcourses were analyzed using a 2-tailed Wilcoxon signed-rank test demonstrating a significant improvement in trainee performance in boot camp 1 in performing cardiopulmonary bypass (median score, 21 precourse and 28 postcourse; P = .001) and pulmonary wedge resection (median score, 25 precourse and 32 postcourse; P = .012), and in boot camp 2, in performing cardiopulmonary bypass (median score, 28 precourse and 30.5 postcourse; P = .018) and pulmonary wedge resection (median score, 31.5 precourse and 37 postcourse; P = .018). Trainers reported increased confidence and decision-making competency of residents and increased confidence of trainers to allow more participation in management. It was found that 83.3% of trainers would support trainee attendance in subsequent years. CONCLUSIONS: Live animal operating as a component of targeted cardiothoracic surgery skill training courses significantly improves technical skills, builds confidence of surgical trainers in resident physicians' practice, and should be supported by the surgery community.
OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess targeted simulation courses, including live animal operating, as complementary training tools with regard to 2 key surgical skills in early cardiothoracic surgeon training. METHODS: Twenty UK surgical trainees (equivalent to cardiothoracic surgery resident physicians in the United States) in their first year of residency training were evaluated. Assessment of skills in pulmonary wedge resection and cardiopulmonary bypass were undertaken before and after 2 boot camp-style courses, including live animal operating (boot camp 1 and boot camp 2). Resident performance was evaluated by surgical trainers using objective structured assessment of technical skills matrices. Trainers completed a survey on skill development and trainer confidence in the trainee precourse and postcourse. RESULTS: Trainee assessment scores pre- and postcourses were analyzed using a 2-tailed Wilcoxon signed-rank test demonstrating a significant improvement in trainee performance in boot camp 1 in performing cardiopulmonary bypass (median score, 21 precourse and 28 postcourse; P = .001) and pulmonary wedge resection (median score, 25 precourse and 32 postcourse; P = .012), and in boot camp 2, in performing cardiopulmonary bypass (median score, 28 precourse and 30.5 postcourse; P = .018) and pulmonary wedge resection (median score, 31.5 precourse and 37 postcourse; P = .018). Trainers reported increased confidence and decision-making competency of residents and increased confidence of trainers to allow more participation in management. It was found that 83.3% of trainers would support trainee attendance in subsequent years. CONCLUSIONS: Live animal operating as a component of targeted cardiothoracic surgery skill training courses significantly improves technical skills, builds confidence of surgical trainers in resident physicians' practice, and should be supported by the surgery community.
Authors: Tess Chase; Divya K Shah; J Preston Parry; Bala Bhagavath; Steven R Lindheim; John C Petrozza; Samantha Pfeifer; Christina Stetter; Allen Kunselman; Stephanie J Estes Journal: F S Rep Date: 2020-09-28