UNC Simulation Laboratory hosts the 3rd annual ACS Introduction to Simulation-Based Teaching
November 8 – 10, 2018
Malcolm Gladwell, staff writer for the New Yorker and author of Outliers: The Story of Success writes, “Achievement is talent plus preparation. However, the ten-thousand-hour research reminds us that the closer psychologists look at the careers of the gifted, the smaller the role innate talent seems to play and the bigger the role preparation seems to play. In cognitively demanding fields, there are no naturals. Nobody walks into an operating room, straight out of a surgical rotation, and does world-class neurosurgery.”
In striving to achieve proper training and practice, surgical trainees often encounter many challenges including productivity-based schedules, which do not allow for teaching time, supervision rules, which do not allow for independent performances and extended learning curves for new technologies. Simulation-based training is an answer to many of those hurdles. However, this solution presents its own issues, as there is currently a shortage of simulation-based educators who possess both the experience and time to teach the useful skills trainees need in order to progress in their education.
In response to this challenge, The American College of Surgeons Division of Education has created a course geared specifically towards retired or near-retired surgeons who are winding down their careers but want to remain engaged and share their expertise with others. The course is designed to tap into their tremendous experience and skillset so that they can then teach those surgical skills in a simulation laboratory. The course “trains the trainers” and provides hands-on simulation experience. Participants learn how to use simulation to teach and refine essential surgical skills for medical students and resident physicians.
On November 8th the Multidisciplinary Simulation Laboratory, part of the UNC Department of Surgery, hosted 24 senior surgeons from across the surgical specialties who participated in this course. National faculty and UNC Department of Surgery faculty taught the course, all of whom volunteered their time.
The course, ACS Introduction to Simulation-Based Teaching, was chaired by Richard H. Feins, MD, FACS, Professor of Surgery. The UNC faculty that donated their time included John C. Alexander, MD, MBA,
Adjunct Professor of Surgery, Timothy M. Farrell, MD, Professor in the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery taught laparoscopy, Monica Grova, MD, Fellow in the Division of Surgical Oncology and Arielle Perez, MD, Assistant Professor in the Division General and Acute Care both taught knot tying/suturing. Jason Long, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, and Gita Mody, MD, Assistant Professor both from the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery taught insertion of a chest tube while Rebecca Maine, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Division of General and Acute Care taught insertion of a central line.
The course was so well received that it will expand to 2 courses in 2019. For more information check out the American College of Surgeons website. To be notified when the 2019 course dates are finalized, please contact Ashley Nichols at anichols@facs.org or 312-202-5018.
