Incorporation of Fresh Tissue Training for General Surgery Residents

Kamil Abbas* and Daniel Grabo

Department of Surgery, Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-9238

Presentation Category: Health Sciences (Poster Presentation #120)

Student’s Major: Immunology and Medical Microbiology

Due to fundamental shifts in the nature of operative trauma cases, current cohorts of general surgery residents (GSR) are at risk of completing training with deficiencies in critical open surgery skills. Along with paradigm shifts in operative trauma management, the implementation of duty hour restrictions has been associated with declines in the volume of operative trauma cases. Realistic training and simulation models were developed utilizing perfused fresh human cadavers (PFHC). To assess the effectiveness of this fresh tissue training program (FTTP), GSRs actively participated in a year-long trauma surgery skills curriculum, culminating in training and simulation sessions utilizing the PFHC. Prior to the training sessions, GSRs reviewed educational materials such as operative videos and appropriate textbooks. Additionally, conventional pre-and post- examinations were administered to determine their understanding of crucial trauma management skills. During these training sessions, the faculty assessed the competency of GSRs in key interventions and critical tasks for four major trauma operations, including neck exploration, left anterolateral thoracotomy, trauma laparotomy, and control of abdominal vascular injury and lower extremity vascular injury. Upon reviewing the pre-and post-test scores of 8 post-graduate year (PGY) 4 GSR, a significant increase in the mean score was noted. Specifically, the 2019 cohort of 4 PGY4 GSR improved the collective mean score from 68.3% to 81.7%. Similarly, in the 2020 cohort, the pre-test's initial mean score was 76.7%, which increased to 86.7%. Based on the preliminary results, FTTP affords realistic training and simulations, allowing GSR to practice and execute critical trauma skills.

Funding: West Virginia University School of Medicine

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course