The anatomy of complications workshop: an educational strategy to improve the training and performance of fellows in gynecologic oncology

Objectives. In Australasia, the USA, and Canada, certified gynecologic oncologists (CGO) are expected to be competent in performing intestinal, urological, and vascular procedures relevant to gynecologic oncology. This competency may be difficult to achieve and experience with simulation rather than human patients may be preferable during initial training. We present the structure, objectives, rationale, and outcomes for a surgical skill workshop aimed to improve the performance of fellows in gynecologic oncology. Workshop structure. The overall objective of the workshop is the prevention and management of complications in gynecologic oncology surgery. Preworksbop preparation includes anatomical illustrations to guide reading and a training video describing surgical procedures and the relevant aspects of ovine and porcine anatomy. There are four modules: (i) Anatomy includes an interactive lecture, cadaveric dissection, and examination of prosections. (ii) Porcine surgery involves the demonstration, practice, and learning of techniques needed to deal with unexpected or deliberate operative injury to bowel, bladder, ureter, and major blood vessels and performance of less common operations. (iii) Live ovine surgery allows further supervised practice of these procedures plus the repair of vascular injury. (iv) Case presentations allow each participant to present a complicated case in a facilitated group session with discussion and feedback from their peers. This session is controlled, nonthreatening, and interactive. Conclusion. Participant feedback and evaluation suggests that this workshop format and the opportunity to practice less common procedures are helpful to clinical practice. This educational model is presented in the hope that it may act as a template for the development of similar programs for fellows in other countries. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.