Letters to the editors
Teaching future surgeons: a step towards better training? James Tomlinson and Marina Yiasemidou School of Surgery, Health Education Yorkshire and the Humber, Leeds, Yorkshire, UK
W
e read with interest the article ‘Cutting edge: teaching future surgeons’.1 The teaching initiative discussed seems to have had a positive impact from the viewpoint of competence and technical skills. We were disappointed that the article does not explore the cost implications to the hospital (if any) of this model, and how the model was developed with trust (hospital) approval. The careful balancing of service delivery and training has clear parallels in the university research and teaching model, where research funding is vital to ensure universities maintain financial equilibrium. Trainee-led lists will potentially allow trainees to develop
their own leadership and team management skills in a protected clinical environment,2 which is important for reducing adverse outcomes.3 Allowing trainees to take on this increased responsibility is likely to ensure a greater engagement and responsibility for their learning and surgical skills. Although it is important that outcomes are met to ensure progression, the tone of the article suggests that the learning experienced was far greater than can be represented in a workplace-based assessment form alone. With this in mind, we must recognise that a series of competencies alone do not make a surgeon or a doctor: there are many less measureable qualities that are needed but perhaps not always attended to with an
outcome-based curriculum model. We would be very interested to hear if the initiative is set to continue, and how the scheme has been received by the hospital. REFERENCES 1.
Al-Himdani S, Patel L. Cutting edge: teaching future surgeons. Clin Teach 2014;11:397–398.
2.
Suliman A, Klaber RE, Warren OJ. Exploiting opportunities for leadership development of surgeons within the operating theatre. Int J Surg 2013;11:6–11.
3.
Siu J, Maran N, Paterson-Brown S. Observation of behavioural markers of non-technical skills in the operating room and their relationship to intraoperative incidents. Surgeon 2014 Jul 9; doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2014.06.005. (Epub ahead of print.)
Corresponding author’s contact details: James Tomlinson, School of Surgery, Health Education Yorkshire and the Humber, Leeds, Yorkshire, UK. E-mail: [email protected] doi: 10.1111/tct.12338
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. THE CLINICAL TEACHER 2015; 12: 143–145 143
tct_12338.indd 143
3/12/2015 10:57:05 AM
Teaching future surgeons: a step towards better training? James Tomlinson and Marina Yiasemidou School of Surgery, Health Education Yorkshire and the Humber, Leeds, Yorkshire, UK
W
e read with interest the article ‘Cutting edge: teaching future surgeons’.1 The teaching initiative discussed seems to have had a positive impact from the viewpoint of competence and technical skills. We were disappointed that the article does not explore the cost implications to the hospital (if any) of this model, and how the model was developed with trust (hospital) approval. The careful balancing of service delivery and training has clear parallels in the university research and teaching model, where research funding is vital to ensure universities maintain financial equilibrium. Trainee-led lists will potentially allow trainees to develop
their own leadership and team management skills in a protected clinical environment,2 which is important for reducing adverse outcomes.3 Allowing trainees to take on this increased responsibility is likely to ensure a greater engagement and responsibility for their learning and surgical skills. Although it is important that outcomes are met to ensure progression, the tone of the article suggests that the learning experienced was far greater than can be represented in a workplace-based assessment form alone. With this in mind, we must recognise that a series of competencies alone do not make a surgeon or a doctor: there are many less measureable qualities that are needed but perhaps not always attended to with an
outcome-based curriculum model. We would be very interested to hear if the initiative is set to continue, and how the scheme has been received by the hospital. REFERENCES 1.
Al-Himdani S, Patel L. Cutting edge: teaching future surgeons. Clin Teach 2014;11:397–398.
2.
Suliman A, Klaber RE, Warren OJ. Exploiting opportunities for leadership development of surgeons within the operating theatre. Int J Surg 2013;11:6–11.
3.
Siu J, Maran N, Paterson-Brown S. Observation of behavioural markers of non-technical skills in the operating room and their relationship to intraoperative incidents. Surgeon 2014 Jul 9; doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2014.06.005. (Epub ahead of print.)
Corresponding author’s contact details: James Tomlinson, School of Surgery, Health Education Yorkshire and the Humber, Leeds, Yorkshire, UK. E-mail: [email protected] doi: 10.1111/tct.12338
© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. THE CLINICAL TEACHER 2015; 12: 143–145 143
tct_12338.indd 143
3/12/2015 10:57:05 AM
