Surgery Residency Curriculum

Since 2007, we have conducted a "boot camp" for all PG1 surgery residents to orient, assess and develop new surgical trainee skills at the onset of their residencies.

The 9-week long Boot Camp is conducted at the Baystate Simulation Center and Goldberg Surgical Skills Laboratory, an American College of Surgeons Accredited Level I Comprehensive Education Institute. Eight procedural skills and simulated patient care exercises are taught in weekly 3-hour skill lab sessions by faculty in surgical and medical subspecialty areas, as well as senior residents, nurse educators and simulation faculty.

Hands-on experience in patient care and procedural skills addresses individual and team-based skills in the following ACGME core competencies: medical knowledge, patient care, interpersonal communication, professionalism, systems-based practice and introduction to practice-based learning and improvement. Preparatory reading materials, pre-tests, real-time briefing and debriefing, and a final summative post-test with written and hands-on station skills assessments encompass the teaching and evaluation components of the curriculum.

Starting in 2017, new PGY1 residents began Boot Camp training in May prior to start of employment. An education package is provided that includes video instructions and training supplies for practice and video-evaluated skills exercises.

Boot Camp Goals

• Provide exposure to basic procedural skills and cognitive-based patient care training exercises
• Orient and guide learners through the basics of fundamental and safe surgical practice
• Provide exposure to common and uncommon presentations and procedures encountered in surgical patient care
• Enforce emergency care practices as well as safe care practices and 'survival skills' as required for beginning a surgical residency curriculum
• Reinforce basic science knowledge of physiology and pathophysiology as well as application of knowledge to procedures required of a surgical resident
• Assess educational needs over the course of training, which is utilized for modification of individual curriculum during residency

Boot Camp Topics

• Suturing, knot-tying, instrument handling, tissue manipulation
• Airway management
• Needle & tube thoracostomy
• Central venous access
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills
• Fundamental laparoscopic surgical skills
• Assessment & management of volume status and electrolyte disturbances in the perioperative setting
• Workup & management of adverse reactions in the hospitalized patient
• Postoperative fever evaluation & management
• Assessment & management of respiratory distress in the hospitalized patient
• Assessment & management of cardiopulmonary emergencies (ACLS)
• Assessment & management of acute traumatic emergencies in the adult (ATLS)
• Assessment & management of surgical and traumatic emergencies in the geriatric patient
• Assessment & management of surgical and traumatic emergencies in the pediatric patient
• Review of radiographs, electrocardiograms and basic diagnostic studies
• Transitions of care and effective communications with consultants and colleagues
• Situational awareness and mutual support teamwork

The Surgery Core Curriculum is a dynamic interactive experience for Baystate residents.

Scheduled core curriculum sessions are conducted during protected education time and coupled with an extensive process of testing of knowledge to augment residents’ self-directed learning efforts.

Content is derived from the SCORE (Surgical Council on Resident Education) curriculum and is updated regularly to keep step with advances in surgical knowledge and technology.

Among the resources provided, in addition to those accessed via SCORE, include:

• Institution-provided ABSITE preparation tools
• Quality improvement education resources through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
• Access to NSQIP for academic and QI projects
• Onsite FLS and FES certification testing center—The Goldberg Surgical Skills Lab (located in the Baystate Simulation Center)